Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting Recipe

If you’re craving a slice of sunshine, this Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting is about to become your new favorite treat. Imagine zesty lemon, sweet Italian liqueur, and a cloud-like mascarpone frosting—each bite is both bright and luscious. It’s elegant enough for a celebration but so irresistible, you’ll want to make it just because.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list—every single item has its starring role in bringing this Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting to life. From vibrant lemons to luxurious mascarpone, it’s a breeze to gather and each ingredient layers on irresistible flavor, color, or texture.

• All-purpose flour: The sturdy but tender foundation of the cake, ensuring a soft crumb that holds its shape beautifully.
• Baking soda: Gives the cake its gentle lift and keeps the layers fluffy, not dense.
• Fine salt: Just a touch to balance the sweet and tangy notes throughout the cake.
• Unsalted butter, softened: Essential for rich flavor and that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake without overpowering the lemony freshness.
• Large eggs: Help to bind everything together and add lovely structure and richness.
• Limoncello: This zesty Italian liqueur infuses sunny flavor and makes every bite sing with citrus.
• Fresh lemon, zested and juiced: For double the lemon—bright flavor and flecks of real zest.
• Buttermilk: The secret to an ultra-moist, delicate crumb—you’ll taste the difference!
• White chocolate shavings (optional): A fancy flourish for the top, adding creamy sweetness and elegant looks.
• Mascarpone cheese: This creamy Italian cheese is the star of the frosting, lending a silky richness.
• Lemon curd: There’s nothing quite like the tart-sweet punch of lemon curd to elevate a frosting.
• Whipping cream or heavy cream, chilled: Whips up fluffy and light, helping the frosting stay cloud-like.
• Confectioners’ sugar: For sweetening and smoothing out the mascarpone frosting’s texture.

Variations

This Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting is gorgeous as written, but don’t hesitate to get creative! With just a few tweaks, you can adapt this recipe to suit your favorites, dietary preferences, or whatever you have in your kitchen.

• Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour for your tried-and-true 1:1 gluten-free blend—the cake remains just as sunny and tender.
• Berry Boost: Add a layer of fresh raspberries or blueberries between the cake layers for bursts of juicy, tart sweetness.
• Non-Alcoholic: Substitute more buttermilk and extra lemon juice for the limoncello if you need to keep it booze-free—no flavor lost!
• Cupcake Style: Bake the batter as cupcakes for easy sharing—reduce bake time and pipe the mascarpone frosting on top for adorable individual treats.

How to Make Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting

Step 1: Prep the Pans and Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C) and preparing your cake pans. Lightly grease two 9-inch round pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease and flour the parchment as well. A little extra care here ensures your cake layers come out perfectly every single time—no sticking and no frustration!

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. This quick step helps distribute the leavening, ensuring your cake rises evenly and every bite does the lemon justice.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This creates a lovely base for the cake’s tender crumb and really sets up that classic cake texture.

Step 4: Add the Eggs One at a Time

Add your eggs in, one at a time, beating well after each addition. This keeps the batter smooth and incorporates air, giving the cake a lighter, airier finish that pairs perfectly with the lemony zing.

Step 5: Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients

Combine your limoncello, lemon zest, and juice in a small bowl. Now, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk/limoncello mixture to your creamed butter, mixing gently just until combined. This ensures the cake is moist, flavorful, and not overmixed—an important secret to soft, melt-away layers.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 20–25 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s golden, springy, and a toothpick comes out clean. Let your cakes cool completely in the pans, which helps keep them perfectly moist and ready for frosting.

Step 7: Make the Mascarpone Frosting

While your cakes cool, blend together mascarpone cheese and lemon curd until completely smooth. In a separate bowl, whip cold cream to soft peaks, gradually beating in confectioners’ sugar. Gently fold the cheese-lemon mixture into your whipped cream for a frosting that’s tangy, fluffy, and worthy of any Italian bakery!

Step 8: Assemble and Decorate

Once the cakes are cool, remove from pans. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread a third of the mascarpone frosting on top; repeat with the next layer, then cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. If you’re feeling extra, scatter on white chocolate shavings for a touch of elegance and sweetness!

How to Serve Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting

Garnishes

The crowning touch for Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting is a light scattering of white chocolate shavings—delicate, buttery, and just decadent enough. For extra flair, try finely grated lemon zest or a few curls of candied lemon peel on top to echo the sunny flavor inside.

Side Dishes

This cake is fantastic on its own, but for the full Italian dolce vita experience, pair your slice with fresh berries on the side or a spoonful of lemon sorbet. If you’re celebrating, a tiny glass of limoncello or a cup of espresso makes a lovely finishing touch.

Creative Ways to Present

Cake doesn’t always have to mean wedges on a plate! Try cutting the finished cake into cubes for a dessert trifle, layering with extra mascarpone frosting, or serve it as single-layer squares for a modern party. A dusting of edible gold or a sprig of fresh mint never hurts for that showstopper moment.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

To keep your Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting at its best, store any leftover slices in an airtight container in the fridge. The mascarpone frosting will stay creamy and delicious for up to three days—if you manage to resist it for that long!

Freezing

The cake layers freeze beautifully when wrapped tightly in plastic before assembling. Frosted slices can also be frozen for up to a month; just thaw gently in the fridge overnight for best texture and flavor.

Reheating

This Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting is meant to be served chilled or at cool room temperature! If your slice has been frozen, a gentle thaw overnight in the refrigerator is the way to go—no reheating required. Serve straight from the fridge for the fluffiest frosting.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing quite like a homemade Limoncello Cake With Mascarpone Frosting—it’s a slice of pure happiness, perfect for sharing (or for stealing a sliver from the fridge late at night). Give it a try and let those bright, Italian-inspired flavors make your day a little sunnier!

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