This beautifully easy lemon curd cake is a sticky but not overly sweet loaf cake packed with pockets and swirls of lemon curd and fresh blueberries. It’s moist, buttery and full of tangy lemon flavor – a delicious treat perfect for a brunch gathering, Mother’s Day, or just a lazy afternoon tea.
Why you’ll love it
✔ Perfect for a gathering. Whether it’s for an afternoon tea, picnic, Mother’s day or even a dinner party dessert, you won’t go wrong with this!
✔ A fresh and summery taste. The classic lemon blueberry combination just screams summer, right? The tangy lemon curd and fresh tart blueberries complement the sweetness of the cake perfectly.
✔ Impressive and easy to make. The swirls of lemon curd and blueberries make this cake look impressive, but it’s made with just 8 simple ingredients and is so easy to pull together.
✔ Keeps well. This cake stays moist and delicious for several days, making it a great option for a make-ahead dessert.
✔ A great way to use up leftover lemon curd! Don’t leave it languishing in the pantry…
5* reviews
“This is one of THE most delicious cakes I’ve ever made or eaten. Thank you!!!!” Deb
“This recipe has become a family favorite. So easy to make and absolutely delicious! Will be trying more of your recipes if they are as good as this!!!” Nicola
About the ingredients
Butter: Real (unsalted) butter will give your cake a delicious buttery taste.
Sugar: I usually use caster sugar/superfine sugar, but regular white sugar is fine as well.
Eggs: You’ll need 3 large eggs.
Greek yogurt: I use Greek yogurt a lot in both sweet and savory recipes. I always try to use an authentic brand containing just milk and live cultures. The yogurt adds extra tang, moisture and protein to the cake!
Flour: To make the recipe super easy, I use self-raising flour (Note: NOT self rising flour, which is different). It’s fine to use all-purpose flour + 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder + 3/4 teaspoon salt instead if you don’t have self-raising flour on hand.
A lemon: A small to medium sized lemon which gives you around 2 tablespoons of juice. You’ll add both the juice and zest to the cake batter for plenty of tangy lemon flavor.
Lemon curd: Honestly… any brand will work well! No need to make your own lemon curd. However, if you’d like to try, it’s actually really easy! Check out this 5-ingredient lemon curd recipe from Sally’s Baking Recipes.
Blueberries: I do usually use fresh blueberries in this recipe, but there’s no reason why you can’t use frozen blueberries instead if you like.
Fun fact: Legend has it that lemon curd was invented in the 19th century by some clever English bakers. They wanted to preserve their precious lemons since they could be hard to come by back then. They mixed lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter in a top-secret recipe until it magically transformed into the delicious spread with a zingy kick that we know and love today.
How to make a lemon curd cake
The step-by-step guide below should help you make the recipe perfectly first time. Scroll down to the end for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.
All you really need to make this easy lemon curd cake is a big bowl, an electric hand mixer and a loaf pan to bake your cake in. It’s so easy to pull together in a few simple steps!
Firstly, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand held whisk (or stand mixer if you prefer) on a medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy (usually 2 to 3 minutes).
Then slowly whisk in the eggs, one by one until well combined.
Next, stir in the yogurt. Then fold through the flour.
Stir in the lemon zest and juice to complete the cake batter.
Then roll the blueberries in a little flour (not essential but helps the blueberries to not sink right to the bottom while baking).
Now the fun begins! Layer up the batter and lemon curd and blueberries in a lined loaf pan.
Don’t worry, it’s simple. Start with half of the cake batter in the bottom of the loaf pan, then swirl half of the lemon curd on top. Finally, add half of the floured blueberries.
Then repeat with a second layer, pressing the second half of the blueberries on top of the cake. See, so easy!
Bake your delicious cake with lemon curd and blueberries for around an hour, or until it has risen well and feels firm when touched. To check if it’s fully cooked, insert a skewer into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, it’s ready!
Then transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool slightly.
You can see what the cake will look like before and after baking in the photo above…
It’s worth the little bit of extra effort to layer the cake. You’ll be rewarded with a moist but at the same time springy and light cake with a slightly crispy, sticky top. Yum!
Helen’s top tips
- Use softened butter so that it’s easier to combine with the sugar. Just take it out of the fridge for a while before you start the recipe.
- As always when making this kind of butter cake batter, once you’ve added the flour only stir until the ingredients are ‘just combined’. If you overmix the cake can become dense and chewy.
How to serve
The very best way to serve this deliciously sticky lemon cake with lemon curd is while still warm and with extra blueberries and a big spoonful of yogurt, whipped cream, ice cream or crème fraiche on top!
If you like, you can serve a little more lemon curd with each cake slice as well. Am I making your mouth water yet? Served this way it makes a perfect dinner party dessert!
To serve any leftovers, you can even warm individual slices up again for a few seconds in the microwave.
Of course, it’s also quite delicious served cold for a snack or catch up with friends with a cup of tea or coffee on the side. One of the great things about this cake is that it keeps well, so you can enjoy it all week (if it lasts that long!).
This really is the best lemon curd cake recipe!
Variations
Not fresh blueberry season? No worries – you can either use frozen blueberries instead, or you can skip the blueberries altogether and just make it a straight lemon cake with lemon curd.
You can also try this cake with different types of fruit which pair well with lemon, such as raspberries or blackberries, or even chopped apple, pineapple or mango.
Lastly, you can try the cake with a fruit jam instead of (or as well as!) lemon curd. Try cherry or raspberry jam!
Recipe FAQs
You can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. However, after that it’s best to keep it in the fridge. It will keep well in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes! Allow it to cool completely before wrapping well in layers of plastic wrap and aluminium foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours (or in the fridge overnight) before slicing and serving. You can reheat individual slices in the microwave for around 20 seconds to serve warm if you like.
Spread it on toast or scones (try these 3-ingredient lemonade scones). Stir it into yogurt and add some crunchy granola (try this easy low sugar granola!) for a tasty snack. Use it in different dessert recipes such as this mascarpone lemon cake or these lemon bakewell slices. Want more ideas, including cookies and easy no-bake desserts? Check out this list of best desserts using lemon curd!
You might also like
- Fan of easy chocolate desserts? This 6-ingredient kladdkaka recipe (gooey Swedish chocolate cake!) never disappoints, and is sooo easy to make! Or how about these eternally popular 5-minute chocolate pots (only 4 ingredients)?
- Want more lemon cake ideas? If it’s a layer cake you want, try this lemon mascarpone cake. Or how about another loaf cake? Try this super easy 6-ingredient lemon ricotta cake.
- How about a quick and easy cheesecake? Try this baked white chocolate cheesecake (with raspberries!) or this Wagamama copy cat recipe: no-bake ginger and white chocolate cheesecake.
Got lemon curd to use up? Check out this list of best lemon curd dessert recipes!
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!
Sticky Lemon Curd Cake (With Blueberries)
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 170 grams butter softened to room temperature
- 130 grams caster sugar = superfine sugar, or just use regular white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 115 grams Greek yogurt plus extra to serve
- 200 grams self-raising flour Or use plain/all-purpose flour with 1¼ teaspoons baking powder and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- 1 lemon (zest and juice) small to medium (you should have about 2 tablespoons juice)
- 4 tablespoons lemon curd plus extra to serve (if you like)
- 120 grams fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 320F/160C and line a loaf pan (roughly 9 x 5 inches or 10 x 4 inches, or equivalent) with baking paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Whisk in the eggs one by one on a low speed until well combined. Then stir in the yogurt.
- Fold through the flour until just combined, then stir in the lemon zest and juice. Be careful not to overmix.
- Roll most of the blueberries lightly in flour (this stops them from sinking). Save a few for serving with the baked cake.
- Spoon and level half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Then spoon and slightly swirl around half of the lemon curd over it. Scatter some of the blueberries on top.
- Now spoon in and level the rest of the batter. Dot the rest of the lemon curd on top and swirl it a little again, then lightly press in the rest of the floured blueberries.
- Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until it is golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes, then lift onto a cooling rack. Serve when the cake is still slightly warm with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, creme fraiche, ice cream or whipped cream. Add the reserved blueberries on top (and a little more lemon curd if you wish).
Gm says
Love this recipe with the Greek yoghurt. I’m not keen on blueberries so I use raspberries instead and just as good😀
Helen says
Ahh lovely idea to use raspberries instead, and it’s good to know it still turns out well. It goes surprisingly well with the Greek yoghurt, doesn’t it? So glad you enjoyed it!
Debra W says
Great recipe that my family has been happy to eat once a week for the past few months I lockdown. The recipe comes out perfectly almost every time. The only issue I had was last time I made it the blueberries all rose to the top of the cake (I did coat them in flour) and the lemon curd soaked into the cake too much so it wasn’t there when we cut into it. Is there a reason this may have happened last time? out of the 10 times I made this cake it only happened the one.
Helen says
Hello Debra, and thank you! This has been one of my favourite cakes for years, and as you say it always turns out well. To be totally honest, I don’t really have an answer for you about what might have happened this last time you made it. All I can think is that there was a variation in the batter that made this happen. Maybe it was a thicker/colder batter than usual. Were the eggs and butter at room temperature? Or maybe the cake baked a bit faster than usual for some reason which made it dry out a little? Sorry these are just guesses! Hopefully it was just a one off because I do like all the gorgeous gooey lemon curd! 😉
Nicola says
I tried this recipe as something to do during lock down in the UK and have made it 3 times since then. It has become a family favourite. So easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Will be trying more of your recipes if they are as good as this!!!
Thank you for brightening up this weird time with such a heavenly recipe. My waistline is feeling the strain though!
Helen says
Hi Nicola! Thank you so much for the feedback. What a compliment that you’ve made it 3 times! I feel you on the waistline, though. I think we’ve all been doing a bit too much sneaky baking! I do have some lower sugar/healthier desserts on the site if you’re interested in trying those too. There’s an incredible healthy chocolate cake (with avocado and sweet potato!). Lots of people have said they can’t believe it’s a healthy cake when they taste it. There are also some blueberry muffins that I’ve been making for years and years, and they pretty much always get good reviews 😉 Happy baking!
Ann says
Just made this cake and it smells absolutely delicious while baking. Will be trying with a afternoon cuppa .
Helen says
Hi Ann! I hope you enjoyed your cuppa and cake. This is still one of my favourite treats – soooo delicious!
Mig says
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter?
Helen says
Hi Mig! I think you could actually, but obviously you wouldn’t cream it with the sugar at the beginning. Just melt it and mix it together with the sugar and go from there. I can’t guarantee the results as I haven’t tried it, but I think you might be OK! Good luck – I’d love to know how you get on!
J.LeBel says
I made this with out of season blueberries and lemon curd bought out of the reduced bin and my family thought it was the best thing l had ever baked. It was absolutely delicious, wouldn’t Change a thing. Make sure your butter is definitely room temp. for easy mixing.
Helen says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Joanne! These sorts of comments make my day. I first posted this a very long time ago, but this is still one of my favourite cakes! P.S. Try my Greek yogurt blueberry muffins too – they’re also a family favourite and very popular here on the site!
taylor says
Have not tried recipe yet but I am drooling. I have several jars of homemade curd — my lemon trees yield about 1000 every season — and I adore blueberries but can only get frozen here. Will that work?
Helen says
Oooh wonderful! It’s on my bucket list to own some lemon trees. Hopefully when we move… Frozen blueberries will be fine, Taylor! I hope you enjoy it!
Debra Beckton says
Hi from Australia, Helen!!
I’m making this cake again for a family gathering tomorrow, which includes the new partner of my youngest daughter who is from London! I’m trying to help him not miss his family too much and hope this will give him a little taste of home.
It is one of THE most delicious cakes I’ve ever made or eaten.
Thank you!!!!
Best regards, Deb
Helen says
Hi Debra! I seem to be hearing from more Australians lately which is lovely! This is the sort of feedback I love to hear. I’m so so happy that you enjoyed the cake and that you’re making it to welcome an important visitor. I really hope he settles in well (with a bit of help from a cup of tea and a piece of freshly baked cake!). Have a wonderful time with your daughter and partner. Special times!
Melanie Anderson says
Loved this tasted lovely the only thing all my blueberries sunk to the bottom tasted lovely but didn’t look as good
Helen says
Hi Melanie! Did you toss the blueberries in flour before adding them? That helps a lot!
Melanie Anderson says
Hi yes I did
Helen says
It’s hard to say exactly why the blueberries sank, Melanie, but probably just because of slight variations in the ingredients and/or the temperature or the oven. As long as it tasted good, though, I hope you were happy! 🙂
Deji says
I had bookmarked this recipe ever since I discovered your blog when searching for cake recipes using both blueberry and LEMON CURD. I made this yesterday for lunch for a group of friends where I also made your creamy garlic parmesan potatoes as a side for the main and it was the most amazing meal ever….
I shared your blog with friends and the food was well received, incredibly tasty and indulgent – the cake was VERY moist, quite light and refreshing (the greek yoghurt is such a lovely addition here) AND NOT SICKLY SWEET which was a fantastic bonus (thanks for the adaptation).
It’s going to be a staple in my home from now on (a reliable go to)…I’ll gradually start working my way through your recipes..
Thanks ever so much Helen 🙂
Helen says
Hello Deji! Oh, you’ve made my day! Thank you so much for such a complimentary review. I’m so pleased that these recipes worked out well for you. There’s another potato recipe that you might like that’s a bit similar but without the cream (potatoes boulangere). Also goes really well as a side!
As for the cake, you wouldn’t believe it but this is probably one of the sweeter cakes on the blog. I usually cut down the sugar as much as I can without compromising the flavor, and I’m so glad you think it had just the right amount of sweetness.
Thanks again for taking the time to pop back here, and of course for sharing the blog with your friends. That means so much to me!
I hope you have a great day! 🙂
slb says
Great little bake, the perfect way to use up some lemon curd I made last week!
Helen says
So glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the feedback!
Lauren says
Hello how long does the cake last I. Fridge or is it possible to freeze?
Helen says
Hi Lauren! This cake actually stays nice and moist for a few days. We eat it pretty quickly at our house, but if you’d like it to last for longer then it freezes brilliantly! Just wrap well and freeze!
Rana says
I made this late this afternoon……too late to have with a cup of tea unfortunately but it is absolutely delicious. I had some homemade curd leftover and made sure I had blueberries in the fridge. Moist, fragrant, buttery with just the right amount of lemon. Would be superb as a dessert cake, simply beautiful to look at. Thanks for this great recipe, and my husband, who doesn’t often partake of my baked goods by the way, LOVES your blueberry muffins…as do I!!! 5 ⭐️
Helen says
Hi Rana! Oh, you’ve made my day! I had a bit of a dessert fail today, so it’s good to be reminded of my failsafe classics. Every time I’ve made it this cake has gone down very well too. We love it, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it too!
As for the blueberry muffins, well, my husband’s exactly the same as yours. He generally doesn’t care for muffins at all, but he LOVES these! I’ve made them so many times. Sometimes I have to add a bit more milk, sometimes I make big ones, sometimes I make small ones, and the cooking time can vary a bit, but I find they always turn out delicious.
Thanks again for taking the time to let me know what you thought, and to leave such a lovely review. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
P.S. I’ve tried the muffins with chocolate chips instead of blueberries, and they were quite nice too!
Cecilia says
Can I use storks instead of butter
Helen says
I haven’t tried it, Cecilia, but I think it’ll be fine! Let me know how you get on!
Sofia says
Thank you so much for the recipie, it’s so delicious we could not stop eating it (dangerous!!:) . As moist and sticky as promised bad not overly sweet – will be our new staple! X
Helen says
Hi Sofia! Thank you so much for taking the time to pop back and comment. I’m so glad you like the cake as much as we do! I’ve made this so many times and it never disappoints. Warm out of the oven… mmmm!
Paul says
I’ve rated this 5 star since without trying it. Simply because you have provided the metric measurements even though you are American and are used to using cups. Incredibly helpful as it’s always frustrating to see recipes where only cups are listed since they are so imprecise. Thank you and I will be using this recipe.
Helen says
Hi Paul – thank you so much for your complimentary comment! I’m actually not American – I’m British! Hence the metric measurements (insert slightly sheepish grin here). I had to decide which measurement to make my default and although at least half of my readers are British I went with cups first as readership does tip more towards the US sometimes. Still, I’m like you and mostly prefer metric. I really hope you enjoy the recipe!
Sean Mahan says
Lemon and blueberry is such a heavenly combo! Can’t wait to make this recipe over the weekend!
Helen says
Hope you enjoy it, Sean!
Vicky Coombs says
Greetings Helen!
Thanks for responding. I downloaded Flash but the video link but sadly it the video. still doesn’t activate. Technology is great when it works but can be areal puzzle when it doesn’t.
Am planning to try your recipe tomorrow and will let you know hoe it turns out.
BizzieB
Helen says
Oh no! Sorry, Vicky! Can you see the video in my latest post (How to make a Greek salad)? It’s within the recipe post. I’m hoping you’ll be able to see this because I’ve attached it to the post in a different way. If you can I’ll do the same in the blueberry cake post!
Vicky Coombs says
Hi Helen
Love the look of the cake and look forward to making it for some visitors next week
The photos are enticing but I really like videos, which, I find, give me more of a feel for the process but couldn’t find the link to the video anywhere. Am I missing it?
Helen says
Hi Vicky! Oh no! I’m so sorry about that. The video is just above the recipe card. If you can’t see it, do you have Flash Player enabled in your browser? It might be that. Otherwise, please do let me know because the next video I do I’m going to embed it in the recipe card. If it isn’t Flash stopping you from seeing the blueberry video then I’ll try embedding it in the recipe card to see if that helps! You could also try viewing my site in a different browser?
I’m glad you’ve let me know because others might be having the same problem.
Tanja Kufner says
I can’t find the video either although flash enabled in browser. Will go for it now without the video – can’t wait
Helen says
Hi Tanja! Aww sorry about that! I hope you managed to make it successfully anyhow? It’s probably because it’s one of my older videos that’s embedded via Youtube – I’ll check it out and see if I can fix it.
Marjory says
I’m all about blueberries this time of year! The blueberry lemon combo is fantastic!
Helen says
Glad you like it, Marjory. Thank you!
Marisa Franca says
Well, I couldn’t agree more — lemon is my favorite flavor and I simply adore blueberries. Your cake looks so moist and flavorful!! It would be a hit in our house because citrus reigns!! I’m looking forward to making and enjoying it.
Helen says
Thank you Marisa! Please let me know if you do try it!