This easy one-bowl lemon love cake is a nostalgic school dinner dessert, made with zingy lemon curd for a bright and comforting treat.
Lemon love cake is the kind of pudding that instantly transports you back to school days. Served generous squares, and topped with a simple dusting of sugar or a drizzle of icing. It’s soft yet sturdy, with just enough crunch on top and a zingy lemon layer in the middle that keeps you coming back for more. This version stays true to the classic, with it being the recipe from my primary school.
Despite the name, it’s not quite a traditional cake. Think more along the lines of a layered traybake, where a lightly golden sponge is split with a generous spread of lemon curd in the centre. The result is something nostalgic and satisfying, with the perfect mix of sweetness and citrus.
It’s a true one-bowl recipe, which means minimal fuss and very little washing up. Everything comes together quickly with basic ingredients, and the lemon curd does all the heavy lifting when it comes to flavour. It’s a bake that feels both familiar and a little special, the kind of dessert that disappears fast. It will be a hit with both kids and grown-ups alike.
Best of all, you can utilise a store cupboard hero if you don’t want to make everything from scratch. Lemon curd whether homemade or shop bought is the easy filling to this cake. Whether you’re baking it for nostalgic comfort or a simple crowd-pleaser, this lemon love cake ticks every box.
Star Ingredient
Lemon curd is what gives this cake its name and its signature flavour. It’s thick, silky, and full of that sweet-sharp balance that lemons do best. In this recipe, lemon curd is spread as the filling between the 2 layers
You can use homemade curd, but a good-quality shop-bought lemon curd works just as well. Look for one that lists lemon juice high up in the ingredients for the best flavour. A few spoonfuls go a long way here, so it’s a great way to use up any leftover curd lurking in the fridge.
Lemon curd can also be dolloped on top of the cake once portioned, or swirled through icing some buttercream if you want to dress it up. It’s the kind of ingredient that makes the whole thing feel that little bit brighter, just like the best school puddings always did.
How to Purchase Ingredients to be Conscious to the Planet
This school dinner dessert recipe requires only 5 ingredients (if you are using shop bought lemon curd).
The base ingredients for lemon love cake are store cupboard staples and purchasable from refill shops – flour, sugar (eggs at some). For the other base ingredients butter and egg, you may wish to support local and shop at local food halls, delis or farm shops. These types of shops tend to stock local products. Lemon curd from local producers can also be found.
If you are not wishing to make your lemon curd and looking for some suggestions, these are some brands which would be wonderful for you to try.
If you are making you own, utilise green grocers, farm shops or chose to pick loose lemons at the supermarket. Net bags can be useful to help hold your lemons together.
Ingredients you can buy Plastic Free
- Self Raising Flour
- Caster Sugar
- Egg
- Lemon Curd
Equipment You Will Need
- 9” by 7 ½” Rectangle Baking TIn
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Brush
- Spoon
- Cooling Racks
Tips and Tricks when Making Lemon Love Cake
Rolling out the Dough and Transfer into the Baking Tin
To roll out the dough for this lemon love cake, it can be easiest to do between 2 sheets of baking paper. This means that extra flour isn’t required for dusting the work surface. The baking paper also doubles up to aid the transfer into the baking tin. The baking paper allows you to flip the dough in, both for the base layer but especially the top layer.
Using compostable baking paper, means that you are creating excessive waste with this method.
Turning out your Lemon Love Cake
To turn this cake out, it is best to utilise 2 cooling racks. Firstly, it you need to use a palette knife to ensure the cake is free from the edge of the tin. Pop a cooling rack over the top of the tin and flip it over to release the cake. Remove the tin, and place the 2nd cooling rack on the base of the cake. Make one more flip, and remove the initial cooling rack. This ensure that the sugared coat remains on top when cooling.
Optional Toppings for Lemon Love Cake
The lemon love cake can be served just as it. This means it is easy enjoyable anywhere. However, there are a few different serving options if you want to a bit more indulgent.
Firstly, you could dollop some extra lemon curd on top of each piece. This could also become a dollop of buttercream. The buttercream could have lemon curd swirled through it to make it extra special.
If you prefer a hot option, a slice of lemon love cake can always be served alongside custard. This can make it feel more of a dessert.
Lemon Love Cake
Equipment
- 9” by 7 ½” Rectangle Baking Tin
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Brush
- Spoon
- Cooling Racks
Ingredients
- 271 g Self Raising Flour
- 100 g Butter / Plant Butter / Margarine cubed
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- ½ Jar Lemon Curd
- Granulated Sugar for Sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Grease the baking dish with a little butter.
- In a mixing bowl, add in the flour and cubed butter, and rub together to form buttercreams.
- Add in the sugar and stir together.
- Add in the egg and stir to form a dough.
- Roughly divide the dough in half.
- Roll out one half to the size of the baking tin and transfer into the tin.
- Spread the lemon curd out of the base of the cake, leaving a little space around the edge.
- Roll out the second half of the dough and layer on top of the curd.
- With a pastry brush, dampen the top of the cake with water.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the tin.
- Using a cooling rack fill the cake out to cool completely.
- Allow to cool and then cut into thirds both ways to make 9 pieces.
Other School Dinner Desserts or Inspired School Dinner Dessert Bakes you may be Interested in
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