Cheaters Lime Curd

If you're in the mood for lime curd but don't have any on hand, don't fret! In this post I'm going to show you how to make a quick and inexpensive version, a "cheaters" lime curd, if you will.

What is Lime Curd?

Lime curd is a sweet and tangy spread out of fresh lime juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. It's very much like lemon curd but with the distinct flavor of lime. The curd is typically cooked over low heat, allowing the eggs and sugar to thicken and the flavors to meld together.

I didn't have time for all of that, nor did I have the ingredients. But I did have something else that just might work, so I decided to give it a try. . .

How to Make Cheater's Lime Curd from an Unusual Ingredient. . .

I wanted to make a “Lime in the Coconut” cupcakes but didn’t have lime curd. I did, however, have a package of lime gelatin. 

So, I decided to google “make curd from jello” and stumbled across a recipe on food.com explaining the process. 

That particular recipe called for lemon jello but I was in the mood for lime, so I decided to substitute. 

If you follow these simple directions, you can make a lime flavored curd perfect for placing between the layers of your cakes, too. 

What are you waiting for? Let’s get busy making lime curd! 

Cheaters Lime Curd Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make this easy lime curd. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. 

• 1 package lime Jell-O gelatin (or other brand)
• 1 (3 ½ ounce) package instant vanilla pudding (any brand)
• ¾ cup boiling water
• 1 cup whipping cream (or whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon lemon or lime extract (optional)

How to Make Cheaters Lime Curd

Place lime jello mix into a heat-safe bowl. 

Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan.

Pour water over gelatin. Whisk well until it’s completely dissolved. 

Sprinkle pudding mix in.

Whisk well until dissolved and completely incorporated. 

Add cold cream and whisk well. Add lemon (or lime) extract (optional).

Cover and place into the refrigerator until the curd is set. 

Use in place of any recipe that calls for curd. 

What to Expect from this Easy Recipe

I wouldn’t say this is the same exact thing as store-bought lime curd but it’s a great substitute when you’re in a hurry. Best of all, there's no double boiler necessary.

I was particularly happy with how easy this was. I’m tickled to have found such a quick recipe. No doubt you will enjoy this simple curd, too! (The best part is the ease in making it!)

This is perfect as a filling, which is exactly how I plan to use it. (Coconut-lime cupcakes, anyone?)

I can think of so many ways to use this lovely curd. It's going to be fun to come up with so many ideas!

Variations on this Recipe

Homemade Lemon Curd: Use lemon jello in place of lime to make a lemon curd recipe.

Orange Curd: Use orange jello in place of lime. 

Strawberry Curd: Use strawberry jello in place of lime. 

Raspberry Curd: Use raspberry jello in place of lime. 

The possibilities are endless! 

Ways to Bake with Curd

There are so many different ways to use this easy lime curd substitute. Here are just a few: 

Use this curd between the layers of my traditional coconut cake. 

Stir this curd directly into your cake mix to add flavor to the cake. (I plan to do this, using half of the curd inside the cake and half as a filling.) 

Use on top of a cake in the same way you would spread, say, strawberry preserves on top of a cake. 

Core vanilla or coconut cupcakes and add a dollop of lime curd inside for a fun surprise! 

Use this curd in a cheesecake pie. 

Use this curd inside of a puff pastry.

---

That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

The Lazy Gastronome

Busy Monday

---

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.