Limoncello Mascarpone Cake (Printable Version)
Light sponge soaked in limoncello syrup layered with creamy mascarpone and whipped topping with lemon zest.
# What You Need:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 6 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Limoncello Syrup
10 - 1/2 cup water
11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1/3 cup limoncello liqueur
→ Mascarpone Filling & Frosting
13 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
14 - 1 cup mascarpone cheese, cold
15 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
18 - Lemon slices or zest
19 - White chocolate curls
20 - Edible flowers
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed until pale and tripled in volume, about 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients, lemon zest, and vanilla into egg mixture.
05 - Add melted butter and milk, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
07 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Heat water and sugar over medium heat until dissolved. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then stir in limoncello.
09 - Whip heavy cream to soft peaks. In separate bowl, whisk mascarpone, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.
10 - Slice cakes horizontally for four thin layers. Place first layer on serving plate. Brush with limoncello syrup and spread mascarpone filling. Repeat with remaining layers, frosting top and sides.
11 - Garnish with lemon slices, zest, white chocolate curls, or edible flowers as desired.
12 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The limoncello syrup keeps the cake impossibly moist for days while adding that signature Italian lemon brightness
- Mascarpone and whipped cream create the dreamiest frosting, lighter than traditional buttercream but still luxuriously rich
02 -
- Overwhipping the mascarpone can cause it to curdle, so fold gently and stop as soon as everything is combined
- Brushing the syrup onto warm cake helps it absorb better, but let the layers cool completely before frosting
03 -
- For a non-alcoholic version, replace the limoncello with fresh lemon juice and increase the sugar in the syrup slightly
- Splitting each cake layer horizontally gives you four thinner layers and even more syrup-soaked surface area