Spring Naked Cake Lemon Curd (Print version)

Delicate layered cake featuring lemon curd, whipped cream, and edible flower garnish, perfect for elegant gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 such as pansies, violets, marigolds, or nasturtiums
20 - Lemon zest curls, optional

# Directions:

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 softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the 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 the tops. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or 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 a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Cool completely.
08 - Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
09 - Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread with half the lemon curd, then add a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the third cake layer and finish with a thick layer of whipped cream.
10 - Decorate with edible flowers and lemon zest curls immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The naked cake style looks restaurant-worthy but actually hides any imperfections, so don't worry about perfect frosting.
  • Lemon curd is the unexpected hero that elevates everything beyond typical vanilla cake vibes.
  • You can make the sponge and curd days ahead, which means last-minute assembly stress basically vanishes.
02 -
  • Lemon curd on warm cake will melt into a puddle, so let both the cake layers and the finished curd cool completely before assembly or everything becomes soup.
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—cold eggs and butter literally won't incorporate properly into the batter, and you'll end up with a grainy texture no amount of mixing can fix.
03 -
  • If your whipped cream starts to look grainy while beating, you've overwhipped it—fold it gently into the next layer rather than discarding it, and it'll still taste perfect even if the texture isn't magazine-perfect.
  • Edible flowers fade quickly once they hit moisture, so add them literally as your guests are sitting down, or they'll look wilted within an hour.
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