Limoncello Cake

In the 13 seaside towns of the Amalfi Coast, groves of lemon trees thrive, cementing lemon-based recipes into their regional cuisine. At the helm lies the iconic Italian digestivo limoncello: a refreshing, citrusy liquor made from real lemons, vodka and sugar. This sweet after-dinner drink has naturally made its way into desserts of all kinds, but one of our favorites must be this limoncello cake with mascarpone frosting.

There’s an entire 1/4 cup of limoncello in the two spongey cake layers, plus a splash in the whipped frosting. When we say limoncello, we mean it! Fresh citrus juice and zest make sure the lemon flavor is truly unmistakable, and the rich, fluffy mascarpone frosting stops the limoncello cake recipe from becoming puckeringly tart.

Ingredients for Limoncello Cake

• Eggs: Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks, then let them come to room temperature. It’s easier to separate eggs while they’re still cold!
• Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature so it whips seamlessly with the sugar.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the limoncello mascarpone cake. Do not use brown sugar as a substitute since the caramel-molasses flavors will throw off the light, lemony brightness.
• Limoncello: This is the star of the show! Whether you’re using store-bought or homemade limoncello, make sure it contains high-quality ingredients for the best-tasting beverage.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is best here. Leave the bottled lemon juice on the shelf as it is far more bitter and contains preservatives that affect the taste. You’ll need fresh lemons anyway for the lemon zest!
• Lemon zest: Keep in mind, it’s easier to zest the lemons while they’re still whole rather than after they’ve been juiced. Also, be sure to stop grating the lemon as soon as the white pith is exposed. The pith is very bitter and will alter the cake’s flavor!
• All-purpose flour: Measure the flour with the scoop and level method. Otherwise, you can run the risk of over-packing flour into the measuring cup, creating a dense cake.
• Baking powder: We use 2 teaspoons baking powder in this limoncello cake recipe to help the cakes rise nice and tall.
• Whole milk: Whole milk thins the cake batter without taking away any of the richness and creaminess.
• Frosting: Mascarpone is the base of the sweet, light frosting that’s further enhanced with heavy whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, lemon zest and even more limoncello.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the eggs

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Place the egg whites in a large bowl and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Make the cake batter

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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the sugar and butter until they’re light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract just until they’re combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Editor’s Tip: While alternating, I like to add the flour mixture in three parts and the milk in two parts, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Step 3: Beat the egg whites

Beat the room-temperature egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter just until incorporated and no white streaks remain.

Step 4: Bake the cakes

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Pour the batter evenly between two greased 9-inch round baking pans. Place the cakes into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes on wire racks, then carefully remove them from their pans and place the cakes on wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.

Step 5: Whip up the frosting

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the mascarpone at medium speed until smooth, three to four minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, and gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, limoncello and lemon zest. Increase the speed to medium-high, then beat until stiff peaks form.

Step 6: Assemble the cake

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Spread half the frosting on top of one cake layer. Stack the second cake layer on top, making sure all edges are lined up with the bottom cake layer. Frost the top of the cake with the remaining frosting.

If desired, garnish with additional lemon zest.

Editor’s Tip: If you find yourself making a lot of cake recipes, I highly suggest investing in both a cake turner and a mini offset spatula. They make decorating a cake a breeze.

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Recipe Variations

• Add a filling: Create more flavor with a filling! For the serious lemon lovers, lemon curd is a great choice. To introduce different flavors into the cake, try a raspberry, blueberry or strawberry jam.
• Swap in cream cheese for the mascarpone: I recommend making this swap only if you cannot find mascarpone at the grocery store. Mascarpone is richer and sweeter than cream cheese, but cream cheese makes a great substitute in a pinch.

How to Store Limoncello Cake

Store limoncello mascarpone cake in the fridge for up to four days. Cover the cake with a cake dome or a bowl inverted over the cake so the frosting doesn’t absorb funky fridge smells. I always like to press storage wrap against any cut sides of the cake, too, so the exposed cake doesn’t dry out.

Can you freeze limoncello cake?

No, it’s not a good idea to freeze this limoncello cake recipe. Once the mascarpone frosting thaws, it will take on a gritty texture. However, you could freeze just the cake layers! Once the cake layers have baked and cooled to room temperature, wrap them tightly in storage wrap and freeze them for up to one month. Allow the cakes to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes.

Limoncello Cake Tips

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Can you bake limoncello cake in a different sized pan?

Yes, you can bake the limoncello cakes in different sized pans. Instead of two 9-inch round cake pans, use two 8-inch square pans or one 13×9-inch rectangular pan.

How else can you decorate this limoncello cake?

Fitting decorations for this limoncello mascarpone cake could be edible flowers like chamomile, marigolds or lavender buds. You could also drizzle lemon curd on top, or arrange a lemon peel twist or fresh or dried lemon slices on top with a few mint sprigs for a pop of color. If you added a jam filling, top the cake with fresh fruit.

How should you serve limoncello cake with mascarpone?

Of course, the best way to serve limoncello cake is with a small glass of limoncello. By itself, limoncello is meant to be sipped in small quantities, so don’t pour a whole glass worth or treat it like a shot. I personally like to use limoncello in a cocktail, like a limoncello spritzer. A tea latte, as well as coffee or an espresso-based drink, would be lovely with this cake.