Spring Birthday Sheet Cake (Printable)

A tender vanilla cake with lemon curd filling and whipped cream frosting, ideal for spring gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Lemon Curd Filling

11 - 4 large egg yolks
12 - ½ cup granulated sugar
13 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
14 - Zest of 2 lemons
15 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed

→ Whipped Cream Frosting

16 - 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
17 - ½ cup powdered sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

19 - Fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
20 - Edible flowers or lemon zest curls

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
06 - In a small saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill until cold.
07 - Whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
08 - Once cake is cool, carefully slice horizontally to create two layers. Remove the top layer and spread chilled lemon curd evenly over the bottom layer. Replace the top layer.
09 - Spread whipped cream frosting evenly over the cake. Decorate with fresh berries, edible flowers, or lemon zest curls as desired.
10 - Refrigerate assembled cake for at least 1 hour before serving to ensure clean slices.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The lemon curd is tangy enough to feel sophisticated but sweet enough to hug you.
  • You get to slice layers like a real baker, which feels impossibly fancy for a weeknight.
  • Heavy cream whipped by hand becomes something almost cloud-like and forgiving.
  • It actually tastes fresher the next day, so you can bake without panic.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional theater—they mix smoothly and create a more tender cake that doesn't taste dense or eggy.
  • The lemon curd must be completely cold before assembly or it will warm the cake and make everything slouch.
  • Don't oversweep when adding dry ingredients; mix just until combined, because overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough crumb.
03 -
  • Brush the cake layers with lemon juice thinned with a little water if you want maximum lemon flavor without sogginess.
  • If whipped cream starts looking grainy or separated, you've gone too far—pour it out and start over with fresh cream, because there's no saving it.
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