This is our favorite lemon roll cake. It is a soft and delightful sponge filled with fresh and tangy lemon curd.
This lemon roll cake is the best! An incredibly flavorful, tangy lemon Swiss roll that everybody loves. There are no surprises here. The sponge is fluffy, tender, and sweet, and the filling is lemony, zesty, tangy, and creamy.
A beautiful and easy-to-make dessert bursting with flavor and perfect for the season. And if you like Swiss rolls or roll cakes, check out our Cream Roll with Strawberries, the Easy Raspberry Roulade, or the Strawberry Basil Cake.
Recipe ingredients
Butter: I use unsalted butter and add a tiny pinch of sea salt. Regular salted butter might be too salty; I would not use it to make the filling for this lemon roll cake.
Lemons: Two medium to large unwaxed, organic lemons, as you will need their zest. Wash and dry them well before zesting. If you want to decorate the lemon cake roll with some fresh slices, you will need one extra lemon.
Eggs: You will need two eggs for the filling and four eggs for the sponge.
Flour: I prefer to use cake flour in baking; it makes the baked goods airier. However, all-purpose flour is fine as well.
Sugar: You will need granulated sugar for the curd and the sponge, powdered sugar for the towel, and for dusting the roll cake before serving.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make lemon roll cake?
How to make the lemon filling?
- Lemons: Wash, dry, zest, and juice them.
- Heat butter, sugar, lemon zest, juice, and salt in a heatproof bowl at bain-marie.
- Add strained eggs and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes opaque (1). You should be able to trace a path with your finger on the curd on the wooden spoon (2).
- Cover the curd with cling film and let cool completely.
- You can make the filling several days in advance and keep it refrigerated.
How to make the sponge?
- Preheat the oven to 200ยฐC/ 400ยฐF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff and glossy. Set aside (3).
- Whisk the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a separate bowl until foamy (4).
- Mix flour and cornstarch in a small bowl. Sieve the flour mixture over the sugar mixture (5).
- Add โ of the egg whites and mix.
- Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently (6).
- Bake the batter (7) on the prepared baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes until golden (8).
- Sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with icing sugar. Turn the baked cake onto the kitchen towel with the baking paper facing up. Peel off the paper carefully (9), then immediately roll the cake with the help of the towel (10).
- Leave it to get completely cool (it will take about 1 hour).
- You can bake the cake roll one day in advance and keep it wrapped in a towel at room temperature.
How to assemble the roll cake?
- Unroll the cake and cover it with the lemon curd (11).
- Roll the cake again and wrap it in clingfilm (12).
- Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Dust with icing sugar and decorate with lemon slices (if desired).
Good to know!
Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it guarantees for best results.
If you happen to have a Thermomix, use it to make the Thermomix lemon curd; itโs even easier. If you like lemony desserts as much as we do, make Lemon Slice, No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake or Baked Blueberry Cheesecake.
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Prepare the baking sheet and preheat the oven in time. Mixing the simple ingredients will be quick, and the cake batter needs to be baked as soon as itโs ready. If it waits for the oven to get hot, it will no longer rise nicely.
Rolling the cake roll while hot will prevent it from cracking. Leave to cool completely before filling.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can prepare it a day ahead and keep it refrigerated.
You can also cook the lemon filling several days in advance and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator.
The sponge can be made one day in advance. Keep it rolled in the towel at room temperature.
Refrigerate it for 2-3 days.
Freeze the leftover slices individually for up to 3 months. Freeze them solid on a baking tray, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Defrost the pieces on a plate in a single layer.
Yes!!! My favorite would be fresh raspberries; I think that raspberries and lemon curd are a match made in heaven. Check out the Lemon Curd Tartlets or the Raspberry Lemon Curd Cake; they are amazing!
You can also add chopped strawberries (or peaches), blueberries, or blackberries.
The Best Lemon Roll Cake
Equipment
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Heatproof bowl
- 1 Pan
Ingredients
Lemon curd (Note 1):
- 150 g butter unsalted 5 ยฝ oz/ โ cup
- 150 g sugar 5 ยฝ oz/ ยพ cup
- a tiny pinch of salt
- 2 medium to large lemons zest and juice, Note 2
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
Sponge:
- 4 eggs large
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2-3 teaspoons icing sugar for the towel
Garnish:
- 1-2 teaspoons icing sugar
- lemon slices optional
Instructions
Lemon curd:
- Wash and dry the lemon. Zest them first, then halve them and juice them.
- Place the diced butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and juice into a heatproof bowl.
- Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer. Place the bowl on top; its bottom should not touch the water.
- Heat the ingredients, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves.
- Eggs: In the meantime, beat the eggs and strain them into another small bowl.
- Add them to the sugar mixture and stir continuously until it thickens slightly and becomes opaque. You should be able to trace a path with your finger on the curd on the spoon (See picture in the blog post).
- Transfer the curd to a clean bowl, place a piece of clingfilm directly onto the surface of the curd and let cool completely.
Sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 200ยฐC/ 400ยฐF. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Egg whites: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until quite stiff. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and beat until glossy and stiff. Set aside.
- Egg yolks: In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar until foamy.
- Combine: Mix the flour, baking powder, and the cornstarch and sieve everything over the egg yolk-sugar mixture. Add โ of the egg whites and incorporate. Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently.
- Bake: Spread the batter onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
- Roll sponge: In the meantime, place a clean kitchen towel on the table and sprinkle it with the icing sugar. Turn the baked cake onto the kitchen towel with the baking paper facing up. Peel off the parchment paper carefully, then immediately roll the cake with the help of the towel. Leave it to get completely cool (it will take about 1 hour).
Assemble the roll cake:
- Unroll the cake.
- Spread the lemon curd evenly on it.
- Roll the cake again. Wrap in plastic foil/cling film and place on a platter.
- Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours or until nicely set. Remove the plastic wrap and place the cake back onto the serving platter.
- Dust with icing sugar and decorate with lemon slices (if desired).
Notes
- Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees for best results (Amazon affiliate link).
- Itโs preferable to use organic, unwaxed lemons, as you will need the zest.
Denise says
I had a very successful experience with this jelly roll recipe. It was a beautiful sponge - so tender and light. I filled the sponge with my own curd recipe mixed with a dense cream cheese frosting - a great combo. I iced the crest of the cake with the cream cheese frosting and topped it blueberries and lemon zest. Many thanks for making this recipe available!
Maureen says
What size baking pan?
Adina says
I use the standard one that came with the oven. 12x16 inches/ 30x40 cm. A bit more or less is ok.
Jt says
Is this right, only 3 tbsps of flour?
Adina says
Yes.
Lynn says
Can lemon juice and zest be added to the sponge for more lemon? If so, would it just be added in or used in place of something?
Adina says
Hi Lynn. You can add some lemon zest, but don't add lemon juice. Extra liquid would change the ingredient balance in the recipe and the sponge will not be the way it is supposed to be.
Dedi says
Your written recipe include baking powder, but you don't mention it in the written instructions, nor in the illustrated instructions. Is baking powder to be included or not????
Adina says
Yes, sorry, it slipped in the instructions.