Egg yolk lemon curd is thick, tangy, and sweet with the perfect lemon-y pucker! This easy lemon curd recipe makes a velvety-smooth citrus custard that spreads beautifully in between cake layers. You can also enjoy our lemon curd filling swirled into yogurt or ice cream and even cheesecake for an extraordinary dessert that will please all lemon lovers!
Since this lemon curd only uses yolks, it is incredibly rich and extra thick. Since it is so thick, it is perfect for cookie and cake filling. We used it recently in our Lemon Curd Cake recipe, which makes a tasty lemon layer cake that combines a moist lemon sponge cake with lemon curd for the most intense lemon flavor.
It’s also a wonderful topping for our Lemon Custard Pie and Lemon Cheesecake Bites (give us alllll the lemon desserts, please and thank you!).
Why This Recipe Works
Homemade lemon curd is leaps and bounds better than any store-bought kind. That’s because once lemon curd is canned to be preserved for grocery store shelves, it loses its vibrant zest.
While store-bought curd can still be delicious, making your own lemon curd will always give you the best results.
This lemon curd cake filling recipe makes an extra rich lemon curd with a zesty tang and full flavor. The secret to the rich, full flavor is to skip the egg whites and use only egg yolks.
I have tried using whole eggs, but that results in a lighter, more mellow flavored lemon curd. This lemon curd gives you a strong, rich flavor that won’t be lost if you’re making a lemon buttercream or you’re stirring it into whipped cream, tangy cream cheese frosting, or anything else.
It is lightly sweetened and leans toward the tart side.
Our egg yolk lemon curd is:
- thick, velvety and full of lemon flavor
- simple to make at home
- super versatile- use it as a lemon cake filling or to top your favorite baked goods
- It is the perfect way to use up egg yolks after making things like:
Sweet and tart lemon curd is a treat on its own, but sandwich it between two layers of white cake and you have an incredible dessert with all the tang of fresh lemons!
The Ingredients
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make lemon curd using only egg yolks. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
To make this rich and creamy lemon curd cake filling, you will need:
- egg yolks
- sugar
- unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh lemon zest
- salt
- cornstarch (optional, but useful if you want to make a thicker curd for cakes)
Our Lemon Curd Cake Filling Recipe
Making lemon curd with egg yolks is quite easy and a wonderful way to up use egg yolks and fresh lemons!
Here’s a look at the process ,but be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the full recipe in the printable recipe card.
Set a strainer over a large bowl and keep it readily available near the stove. In a medium saucepan, add the egg yolks, sugar, and softened butter.
Use an electric mixer to beat the yolks, sugar and butter until well blended. This step will prevent the egg yolks from curdling when you add the lemon juice.
Stir the lemon juice, zest, and salt into the egg mixture.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10-12 minutes. It should thicken and turn glossy.
Don’t let the mixture come to a full boil. If it starts to boil, remove it from the heat for a bit and return it to a low heat.
The curd is done cooking when it can cling to a spoon or spatula and leave a trail if you run the spoon through it. If you have an instant read thermometer, it should be 170°F.
Pour the lemon curd into the fine mesh strainer and press it with the back of a spoon to push it through the strainer. Discard and lemon zest and lumps left behind.
Place the curd in the refrigerator to chill. The lemon curd will thicken more as it gets cold.
If you like this recipe, try our apple curd.
More Chilled or Frozen Desserts
- Chocolate Amaretto Espresso Mousse Cake
- Chocolate Caramel Swirl Cheesecake
- Roasted Figs in Goat Cheese Custard
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
- 31 Cool Summer Dessert Ideas
Tips for the Best Results
- Cooking: Keep the heat low and cook the curd slowly to prevent it from curdling and getting lumpy. Cooking it slower will also make the curd thicker. If your stove doesn’t have a low setting, use a double boiler.
- The acid in the lemon juice will coagulate the yolks. However, if you beat the yolks with butter and sugar, it will protect them from coagulating when you add the lemon juice.
- Fresh lemon juice vs. bottled lemon juice: You can use bottled lemon juice, but fresh lemon juice will give you a more vibrant, citrusy flavor. We tried several brands of bottled lemon juice. Although they claimed to be made with real lemons, none of them produced lemon curd that tasted as good as the one made with fresh lemon juice.
- Type of saucepan: A non-reactive pan like stainless steel, glass, enamel, or ceramic coated cookware is best. Aluminum and copper pans will react with the acid in the lemon juice and impart a metallic taste to your lemon curd. It also turns the color of the curd to a dull, almost green hue.
✅ Substitutions and Variations
This recipe uses five egg yolks. If you have additional yolks to use (or fewer), we provided ingredient amounts in the notes section of the recipe card for 4 egg yolks or 6 egg yolks.
⏲ Storage and Reheating
You can store lemon curd cake filling in the refrigerator in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with a film of plastic wrap touching the top of the curd.
It will last three to four weeks in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer but it will have a more vibrant flavor if you eat it within 1 to 2 weeks.
How to Use Egg Yolk Lemon Curd
We love using this lemon curd as a cake filling because it is so thick. But you can use it just like any lemon curd which means the possibilities are endless!
Here are a few ideas:
- swirled into yogurt or passion fruit ice cream
- as a topping for cheesecake
- spread it on our lavender lemon scones
With its thick, custard-like texture and tangy lemon flavor, each bite of this thick lemon curd is so good!
Egg yolk lemon curd is a great way to make the most of extra egg yolks, and it makes the best lemon curd. Whether using it as a cake filling, topping your favorite baked goods, or just eating it straight from the spoon, this recipe will give you the perfect balance of tangy, tart, and sweet.
If you are looking for more ways to use up egg yolks, try making our egg yolk cookies.
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Egg Yolk Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 5 large egg yolks 93 grams
- ¾ cup sugar 150 grams
- 6 tablespoons butter softened (85 grams)
- ½ cup lemon juice 125 grams
- zest from one lemon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Set a strainer over a bowl and keep it readily available near the stove.
- In a heavy non-reactive saucepan, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and butter until well blended (beating the egg yolks into the butter and sugar will help prevent the eggs from curdling and clumping).
- Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 to 12 minutes until thickened and has a glossy appearance. Try not to let the mixture come to a boil, if it begins to boil remove it from the heat for a bit, then return it to a lower heat. The curd should cling to a spoon or spatula and leave a trail if you run your finger through it.
- Pour it into the strainer and press it with the back of a spoon. Discard the lemon zest and any lumps that are left behind in the strainer.
- Place in the refrigerator to chill. The lemon curd will thicken more once it has chilled completely.
Notes
- Cook the curd slowly to prevent it from curdling and getting lumpy.
- For a much thicker curd, stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the sugar, before you add the rest of the ingredients. It is helpful when you want to use the lemon curd as a cake filling because it makes the curd a little thicker and holds up well to heavy cakes like butter cakes. However, even without cornstarch, this recipe works well as a cake filling.
Ingredients amounts for 4 egg yolks
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup
- 5 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon and pinch of salt
Ingredient amounts for 6 egg yolks
- 6 egg yolks
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 7 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup lemon juice + 1 tablespoon
- zest of 1 lemon and ¼ teaspoon salt
Nutrition
Emily
Monday 4th of December 2023
I want to use this recipe for a cake filling. You say cornstarch is an optional ingredient to thicken it for cakes, but then you never say how much to use or how and when yo add it. Can you please explain and give more details? Thanks
Dahn Boquist
Monday 4th of December 2023
Sorry about that, I updated the notes. If you want to use cornstarch, stir 1 tablespoon into the sugar before you add the rest of the ingredients. Distributing it into the dry sugar will prevent clumping. Thanks for the question.