Lemon Tiramisu Cake
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd:
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 egg yolks at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
For the Lemon Cake:
- 2 ½ cups cake flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest about 3 large lemons
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
For the Lemon Syrup:
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾-1 cup granulated white sugar adjust to taste
For the Lemon Mascarpone Frosting:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 16 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup whole milk (for pouring over cake)
Instructions
For the Lemon Curd:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.
- Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened (about 20-25 minutes).
- Remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter until melted.
- Transfer the curd to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cool.
For the Lemon Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg whites, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the butter mixture, and beat until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 36-42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Lemon Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, heat lemon juice and sugar over low heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
For the Lemon Mascarpone Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, mix mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined.
Assembling the Cake:
- Poke holes in the top of the cooled cake with a wooden stick or spoon handle.
- Pour milk over the cake, followed by lemon syrup.
- Pipe lemon curd into the holes of the cake.
- Frost the top of the cake with mascarpone frosting, alternating with dollops of lemon curd.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest and cut into squares before serving. Enjoy!