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Lemon Sponge with Lemon Curd and Lemon Whipped Cream

Lemon Sponge with Lemon Curd and Lemon Whipped Cream

Sep 20, 2025

This cake is great for a special occasion, as a dessert or even for afternoon tea. The soft, sponge layers filled with tangy lemon curd and whipped cream are a great way to use/celebrate homegrown citrus. We use True Lemons: Yen Ben, Lisbon, Genoa, Eureka, Variegated Eureka, Pondarosa or Villa Franca for this recipe. If you like a milder, less astringent lemon flavour, use a Meyer Lemon. 

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • pinch salt
  • 1 Tbsp boiling water
  • ¾ cup lemon sugar (170g)
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1 cup cornflour, less 1 Tbsp
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Whipped cream
  • Lemon curd, we use our lime curd recipe and replace the lime with lemon.

To decorate: Lemon curd, lemon zest or edible citrus flowers. We used Cipo orange flowers as we had an abundance of them.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm round sponge tins.
  2. Beat eggs, salt and boiling water until frothy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until thick, pale, and creamy.
  3. Sift together the flour, cornflour, and baking powder. Gently fold into the egg mixture with a metal spoon — take care not to overmix.
  4. Divide mixture evenly between tins and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until sponges spring back when lightly touched.
  5. Cool on a wire rack.
  6. Once cool, spread one sponge with a layer of lemon curd, followed by whipped cream.
  7. Add the second sponge on top and repeat — spreading with more lemon curd and cream.
  8. Decorate with swirls of lemon curd, a sprinkle of lemon zest, dehydrated citrus or edible citrus flowers for a stunning finish.

 Citrus Direct Tips

  • For an even brighter citrus flavour, stir a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest or fine lemon sugar into your whipped cream before layering  the sponge cake. 
  • For something different replace the lemon with blood orange sugar and blood orange curd. This is another family favourite.