Mascarpone Limoncello Cake Recipe
Layered vanilla cake with mascarpone and limoncello fudge
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Ingredients
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Cake batter
Mascarpone lemon crema
Limoncello fudge
Method
Cake batter
- 1
Prep pans and oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment circles; set aside.
- 2
Whisk dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- 3
Cream butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- 4
Add eggs and vanilla
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
- 5
Combine and alternate with milk
With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- 6
Bake and cool
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mascarpone lemon crema
- 7
Whip mascarpone
In a bowl, beat mascarpone cheese until smooth.
- 8
Sweeten and flavor
Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice; mix until combined.
- 9
Lighten with cream
In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold into the mascarpone mixture until smooth and airy. Chill at least 30 minutes to set.
Limoncello fudge
- 10
Melt chocolate and cream
Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Warm 0.25 cup heavy cream until just simmering, then pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- 11
Add limoncello and butter
Stir in limoncello and butter until glossy. Allow the fudge to cool until spreadable, about 15-20 minutes.
Assemble and chill
- 12
Level and stack
If the cake layers are domed, level them with a knife. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate.
- 13
Filling
Spread a generous layer of mascarpone lemon crema over the bottom cake layer. Pipe a thin layer of limoncello fudge on top of the crema (center area).
- 14
Top and frost
Place the second cake layer atop. Spread the remaining mascarpone crema over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing with a spatula.
- 15
Chill and serve
Refrigerate the cake for at least 1-2 hours to set the filling and frosting. Slice and serve, garnished with extra lemon zest if desired.