Lemon Curd Coffee Cake

A yeasted coffee cake swirled with bright lemon curd and topped with chopped walnuts. This is not a quick-bread style coffee cake. It’s a proper risen dough, soft and rich from sour cream and butter, rolled out, filled, and sliced into fat spirals that bake together in a pie pan.

The sour cream in the dough does double duty: it keeps the crumb tender and adds a subtle tang that plays off the lemon curd filling. After the first rise, you roll the dough into a big rectangle, spread on the curd, roll it up tight, and slice. The rolls nestle together in the pan and rise again before baking.

An egg wash before the oven gives the top a burnished, bakery-quality sheen. The chopped walnuts toast right on top as it bakes, adding crunch against all that soft, lemony bread.

Kitchen Tips

• Make sure your water is between 105-115°F (40-46°C) for activating the yeast. Too hot kills it, too cool and it won’t bloom.
• The dough will be sticky after mixing. Kneading for the full 6-7 minutes develops the gluten and firms it up.
• Spread the lemon curd evenly but leave that ¾-inch border so it doesn’t squeeze out while rolling.
• Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to slice the rolled dough cleanly without squishing the spirals.

Variations

• Fill with raspberry jam instead of lemon curd for a berry version.
• Top with a simple powdered sugar glaze after baking for extra sweetness.
• Replace walnuts with sliced almonds or pecans.