Spring Naked Cake Lemon Curd (Printable)

Elegant layered dessert with lemon curd, whipped cream, and edible spring flowers for special occasions.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Lemon Curd

11 - 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - Zest of 2 lemons
13 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Whipped Cream

16 - 2 cups heavy cream, cold
17 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - 1 to 2 cups edible flowers
20 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Cook while whisking constantly for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Cool completely.
08 - Beat cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
09 - Place first cake layer on serving platter. Spread with half the lemon curd, then layer whipped cream. Repeat with second layer. Top with third cake layer and finish with thick layer of whipped cream.
10 - Decorate with edible flowers and lemon zest curls immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent all day in a fancy bakery, but the actual work is honest and straightforward.
  • The bright lemon flavor hits differently when it's nestled between clouds of cream and tender cake—it's sophisticated without pretending to be fussy.
02 -
  • Edible flowers must be specifically labeled as such—ornamental flowers from a florist have been treated with pesticides that will make you sick, so don't improvise.
  • Chilling the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before serving makes it easier to slice cleanly and keeps the layers from sliding, which changed everything for my presentation.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them—once they're halved, you'll lose the oils that make the zest valuable, and the juice gets the attention instead.
  • If the lemon curd breaks during cooking (it'll look grainy and separated), strain it through a fine mesh sieve and whisk in a cold tablespoon of butter to bring it back together, which saved me once and now saves every curd I make.
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