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Imagine the lightest and fluffiest coffee cake, baked to golden and buttery perfection with a fine crumb and ribbons of homemade Meyer lemon curd. This blissful Meyer lemon coffee cake is all that, and more.
Dressed up with a dusting of powdered sugar, this coffee cake is the ultimate treat for any spring gathering (here’s looking at you, weekend brunch!).
Love baking with Meyer lemons? Find more inspiration in this round up of favorite fresh Meyer lemon recipes!
The Best Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake
Meyer Lemon Curd – Homemade Meyer lemon curd is sweet and tangy! This recipe makes 1/3 cup lemon curd to swirl into the cake batter. Feel free to double the recipe and have extra lemon curd on hand to serve with the coffee cake. The lemon curd can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.
Crumb Topping – The golden and buttery crumb topping adds another delicious layer to this cake! To save time on baking day, make the crumb topping ahead and refrigerate overnight.
Coffee Cake – Pillowy and golden, the cake bakes up soft and tender. Room temperature Greek yogurt and buttermilk ensure a moist cake with the perfect crumb.
Bake – Bake coffee cake for about 40 minutes, until golden, cake springs back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.
Did you try this Lemon Coffee Cake Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
More coffee cake recipes to try:
- Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Apricot Almond Coffee Cake
- Brown Butter Coffee Cake
- Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
With a ribbon of homemade meyer lemon curd, this is the best golden and buttery Meyer lemon coffee cake!
Ingredients
Meyer Lemon Curd
- 1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Topping
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp Meyer lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp Meyer lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- For the curd, whisk together Meyer lemon zest, juice, sugar, salt, and egg in a heavy saucepan. Cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Add butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly until melted, before adding more butter. Continue until curd is smooth and thickened, and coats the back of a spoon (about 5 minutes total).
- Strain curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic directly on the surface, and chill until cold – at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray; dust lightly with flour.
- For the topping, whisk together sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt in a small bowl; add Meyer lemon zest, juice, and melted butter, and toss mixture with a fork until completely incorporated and mixture is crumbly. Chill topping in the freezer until needed.
- For the cake, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, Meyer lemon zest, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and yolk one at a time and beat well. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Dollop Meyer lemon curd over batter and swirl together with a toothpick or wooden skewer; tap pan sharply to remove air bubbles. Sprinkle with chilled topping.
- Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until coffee cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
1/3 cup jarred lemon curd may be substituted for the Meyer lemon curd.
Turned out so well, I used my homemade lemon curd.
Hello, is this recipe possible to make in a loaf pan? Just curious. Thank you
Hi Denise, I haven’t tested this recipe in a loaf pan as it was developed for an 8-inch square baking pan. If you’re looking for a really delicious loaf cake, I recommend trying my lemon poppy seed cake. Hope that helps!
Hello yes thank you so much! I’ll also try your lem/poppy loaf for sure! Thanks again!
This cake was excellent and a big hit with my family and friends. Will definitely make it again!
Just made this because my co-worker gifts me Meyer lemons, and so I bake something to give back, and this was delightful! The texture of the cake is as promised – light and fluffy, and the delicious curd provides zing and moisture, accented by the perfect crumb.
I followed the recipe exactly, and it came our perfectly.
Laura’s recipe’s are a joy to bake – this is probably my third now, and I trust that they are going to turn out right. So happy I found Tutti Dolci!!!
Hi Donna, I’m so glad you found my blog and so glad the coffee cake was such a hit! 🙂
Can you use sour cream in place of the yogurt?
Hi Meg, yes you can sub sour cream. Happy baking!
What if you cannot get Meyer lemons?
Hi Beth, you can also use regular lemons. I would increase the sugar in the lemon curd to 1/4 cup (Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons).
Hi Laura! I just wanted to let you know that I made the Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake today to take to the farmers market to sell on Saturday morning, and my husband and I tried a slice…we have to try any new item! ;)… And it is one of the best cakes either of us have ever had! The lemon curd is so bright and tart and the cake itself is moist and perfect. It’s a perfect mix of tart and sweet. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
This sounds so fresh and lovely, can it be doubled for a 9×13 with good results?
Thanks Laura! Yes, that should work just fine to double the recipe.