Take a step away from the ordinary and embrace something special with this recipe for a rich yet tart Raspberry Curd! 
I’m not exactly sure where my sudden obsession to make raspberry curd came from…it might have been something I saw on Pinterest or it might have been a recipe on one of the dozens of blogs I follow.
But for the last 2 weeks, I’ve been dreaming non-stop about making Raspberry Curd! And it was the right time to make it for two reasons…
First, I made lemon curd a while back and used it to fill cupcakes. It was TOTALLY amazing…so I was pretty sure that raspberry curd would be amazing too!
Second, a few days ago, my family and I stopped at a roadside tent to buy some fresh local German raspberries. Can you say YUM? I had to hide them away in my refrigerator so no one would eat them.
This morning, though, I got them out and made the most delicious curd I’ve ever tasted!
Where Can I Use This Raspberry Curd?
This curd is SO versatile, everyone. For maximum tastiness, you can use it:
- as filling for cupcakes…
- between the layers of a cake (one of you even used it for chiffon cake, YUM)…
- on toast or ice cream…
- and probably just about everything else you could imagine! It’s THAT good.
If you’d like a few specific recipes for inspiration, take a look at these other posts:
- Raspberry Tart (from Tutti Dolci)
- Lemon Layer Cake with Raspberry and Whipped Cream (from Epicurious)
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (from your good friend…me!)
Ugh…I’m getting hungry for this curd again just writing about it!
FAQs About This Raspberry Curd Filling
A lot of you have given me feedback on this awesome raspberry curd, and I’ve also remembered a few more things about it since I first wrote the post…so I’ve decided to add a few tips to save you time in the future!
Can I use this recipe with other kinds of berries? Yes! It should still work.
Can I use store-bought lemon juice instead of fresh-squeezed lemons? Your mileage may vary on this one…in all fairness, some of my readers have commented that it’s turned out fine with lemon juice! However, I highly recommend using fresh-squeezed lemons.
Can you fill cupcakes with this the day before you serve them? Yes, you can! I recommend chilling them if you do this. Also, I wouldn’t frost until the day you’re going to serve them since the frosting and filling together could get very, VERY messy!
How many cupcakes would this recipe fill? About 2 dozen! Do you have to strain the curd? Not at all, if you don’t want! If you LOVE all the natural bits of the berries…keep ‘em in…go for it!
Would this hold up as a filling for a three layer cake? Yes! (And oh my goodness that sounds SO delish.) If you frost the outside edge of the layer, you should be good to go.
Happy baking!
Please comment down below with ANY questions you might have! I am happy to help. Don’t be shy…every comment is a learning experience for everyone. You never know who might need the same answers but isn’t asking. And if you DON’T have any questions…let me know how this raspberry curd turned out, and what you used it for! I’d love to hear your stories.
Raspberry Curd
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick), unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 6 medium egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp Lemoncino liquor (or fresh lemon juice)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add the sugar, berries, egg, and salt. Heat until all the sugar has dissolved and all the berries have broken down. Stirring constantly.
- Cook at a low simmer (medium heat) for 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
- Stir in the Lemoncino.
- Press the mixture through a coarse strainer sitting over a large bowl. Try to press out as much of the juice you can from the pulp and seeds of the berries.
- Pour mixture into a jar or container with a lid. Allow to cool on the counter for a few hours before covering and storing in the refrigerator. Curd will thicken as it cools.
- Keeps for about a month if kept cold.
Perfect timing.. neighbors berries are ripe and she keeps bringing them over 🙂 Thank you for sharing
Just posted the result on my blog 🙂 Very good recipe, I will be making this again soon.
Awesome! You should try Lemon Curd too!! SO GOOD!
Can I use raspberry curd to fill cupcakes or is it too thin? What, if anything can I add to it to use the curd I already made?
Yes absolutely!! Check out these cupcakes I made with the curd! https://javacupcake.com/2012/07/dark-chocolate-raspberry-curd-filled-cupcakes/
I love the recipes but instead of fresh squeezed lemons would it be possible to use lemon juice?
No… fresh squeezed lemons is the only way to go!
I used lemon juice and it turned out fine
I am assuming by lemon juice you mean lemon juice bought from the store in a bottle. If that is the case then the answer is yes you can use it and the curd should thicken. But I do recommend you use fresh lemon juice. The moment a lemon is squeezed the juice is exposed to air and it begins to oxidize. There have been preservatives added to store bought lemon juice that slow this process but will not stop it entirely. So store bought juice doesn’t taste as nice in my opinion as fresh squeezed. You could try it both ways and try them side by side to see what you prefer. 🙂
Trying to make a dessert for my mom who is allergic to sugar. Can this be made with honey instead?
it’s possible – but I’m not sure of the substitution ratios.
Just made this today and using it with the Dark Chocolate Cupcakes for father’s day. If I have left over curd, which I probably will, what other recipes would you recommend that I could use the left over raspberry curd with? Thanks for all of your amazing recipes.
Hi Kate! I’ve used it on toast like jam, on ice cream for a topping or you could fill a cake with it. If you pop it in the fridge and it’ll be good for a week or so. I’ve never tried freezing it… so I’m not sure how that’d work. Let me know how the cupcakes turn out!! Take pictures!!!
Hi Betsy. I have recently discovered the joys of lemon curd. It freezes beautifully and I don’t see why raspberry curd wouldn’t freeze well too. Now I want to make all kinds of curds; strawberry, blackberry, and of course, more lemon! Can’t wait to make your cupcakes!
Curd is amazing!! I made a lime curd not too long ago and it was DEVOURED by everyone who put a spoon in the jar!! YUM!
Hello Betsy,
I would like to know why you used only eggs yolks for raspberry curd but whole eggs for lemon curd? Is it right? Thanks for your answer.
Hi Bara,
The lemon curd recipe came from my mother in law… so I didn’t want to change it. When I started the raspberry curd recipe… many of the recipes that I referenced didn’t call for the white. Not sure the scientific reasoning behind it… but that’s why it’s in one of my recipes and not the other. 🙂
Do you think this would work as a filling for a a white chocolate cake?
Why do they taste so much like butter? would it be beacause I used salted butter instead?
I’m not sure…. but that’s definitely a possibility.
Can you fill the cupcakes a day before you serve them? If so do you need to refrigerate them?
Yes, you can fill them the day before. But I’d suggest not frosting them until the day of. The frosting and filling together and get messy if left too long. Also, I’d def chill them if you fill them. The curd needs to stay cold for long periods. 🙂
Hi, is it possible that when making the curd in on the pan, my mix is very light? Like it is a lot yellow, almost not red
If you used enough raspberries, it should be that dark red color. Since I wasn’t there with you to see what you did… I’m not sure I can tell you what went wrong. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
I have used this recipe numerous times and it has yet to fail me. It’s aways a hit and I have a hard time preventing my husband from attacking it with a spoon. Thanks for sharing!
Awwww thanks Amber!!!!
My mother-in-law is coming to visit in a couple of days & I wanted to make a chiffon cake for her. I have an abundance of fresh juicy strawberries so I thought I’d try my hand at making a strawberry curd to put between the cake layers. I cannot believe I’ve never tried this before! I used your recipe & just swapped out the berries. Absolutely amazingly delicious! I was searching for things to slather it on before it even cooled down. So good & I’m so glad I discovered your recipe. Summer is changed forever!
Hello! Can you tell me approximately how many cupcakes this recipe would fill? I have a standard cupcake corer that I’d be using. Maybe I missed in comments or the recipe above, sorry for the oversight, if so! But thanks for your help!!!
I remember when I made the curd for these cupcakes, https://javacupcake.com/2012/07/dark-chocolate-raspberry-curd-filled-cupcakes/ I had some left over. I can’t remember exactly how much though… at least 2 dozen you can fill!
Hello! I just made this and taste wise.. amazing but color wise it was a bit off. I noticed yours was a beautiful vibrant raspberry color. How do I get that? All of my berries were ripe!
Do you have to strain the curd? I love the flesh and especially seeds I of the berries!
Nope, you don’t have to! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! Do you know if it will hold up well as a filling for a three layer cake? Would it have to be refrigerated or can it stay out at room temp? I’m worried about the cake layers sliding off with a slippery filling like this but I really want to try it! Thanks!
If you do a layer of buttercream/frosting along the outside edge of the layer before you fill it, it should work great! 🙂
Hey I was wondering what I can replace the strainer with if I don’t have one?
Hi, I just made the raspberry curd this morning, let it sit out to cool and popped it in the fridge. It’s very runny and thin. Where did I go wrong? Is there any way I can thicken it? The flavor is awesome however!
I had the same problem as Kate. It is too runny. And is there a way to thicken it? Where did I go wrong?
I’d suggest cooking it longer. Since I wasn’t in your kitchen – I can’t help to pinpoint what went wrong, sorry!
Does this freeze well? I left it in the freezer for a few hours to get colder faster and I was wondering if it would stillness be okay.
I’m not sure… I’ve never tried that method. Let me know how it works for you!
I have frozen the curd many times and it’s always fine to use.
So I’ve never had curd so I’m wondering if it normally tastes kind of eggy? It doesn’t taste bad just literally don’t know what it should taste like.
Curd can taste eggy and very rich. If your berry type isn’t as sweet or tart, or you use farm eggs, it could be eggier. Add more lemon and sugar if you don’t like it (I like it eggy, personally).
This is one of the yummiest things I have ever made in my life ❤️
I’ve only ever made lemon curd can’t wait to try raspberry!
Why do most other curds usually use more than a cup of sugar but you use less?
Also, I was planning to use this in a layered cake. Is your recipe thick enough for that?
Thanks!
Additional question: should a double boiler be used or is it not necessary?
Hi, I made your raspberry curd recipe and it was very delicious, but it never got thick enough to fill cupcakes, and that’s why I made it. Any suggestions? Could I put it back on the stove and add a little bit of corn starch or some unflavored gelatin? Thank you!
Can this be used for tarts?
I was so excited to try your recipe. It went amazing with my vanilla cupcakes and hazelnut buttercream frosting. My coworkers loved it! Thank you!
This might be the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. I used it to fill vanilla bean macarons. Then ate the rest with a spoon!
What is the yield that this recipe makes?
If I didn’t write it down when I wrote this blog post – I don’t remember. Make it and let everyone know.
I just made this yesterday and it’s not very thick. Still too runny for a curd. Is there any way of saving it?
If your curd is runny, there are a few potential reasons and solutions you can try:
Cooking Time: If you didn’t cook the curd long enough, it might not have thickened properly. Try cooking it for a bit longer over low heat while stirring constantly until it thickens to the desired consistency.
Cornstarch or Flour: You can mix a small amount of cornstarch or flour with water to create a slurry and then add it to the curd. Heat the mixture gently while stirring until it thickens.
Egg Yolks: If you’re making a lemon curd or another type of curd that includes eggs, adding an extra egg yolk or two can help thicken it. Make sure to temper the eggs by slowly adding some of the hot curd to them while whisking vigorously before incorporating them into the rest of the curd.
Refrigeration: Sometimes, curd thickens as it cools. If you’ve just made it and it’s still warm, try refrigerating it for a few hours to see if it thickens up.
Straining: If your curd is too runny due to excess liquid, you can strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any excess liquid and thicken it up.
Chilling: Letting the curd chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight can also help it set and thicken.
Try one or a combination of these methods, and hopefully, you’ll be able to fix your runny curd!