Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (freshly grated for maximum flavor)
- ½ cup limoncello liqueur
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mascarpone Filling
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons limoncello
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish
- Thin lemon slices
- A few fresh mint sprigs
- Dusting of powdered sugar
Instructions
- Get the oven ready
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. This ensures your cakes slip out smoothly when baked.
- Whip up the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture turns pale and airy. Blend in the melted butter, lemon zest, and limoncello.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mix to the wet ingredients gradually, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in the vanilla at the end—don’t overmix, just until everything looks smooth.
- Bake the layers
- Divide the batter evenly between your pans. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes rest in their pans for about 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Mix the creamy filling
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together mascarpone, cream, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. You want a smooth, spreadable filling that’s not too runny.
- Layer it up
- Once the cakes are cooled, carefully slice each one horizontally so you end up with four thin layers. Spread a generous amount of mascarpone filling between each layer, stacking as you go. Make sure the filling reaches the edges for an even, pretty finish.
- Prepare the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, limoncello, and lemon juice until you have a silky, pourable glaze. If it’s too thin, add more sugar; too thick, splash in a touch more limoncello.
- Final touches
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it naturally drip down the sides. Decorate with fresh lemon slices, sprigs of mint, and a light snowfall of powdered sugar. For neat, clean slices, chill the cake for about an hour before cutting.
Notes
- Diet-friendly swaps: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for a GF version, swap in dairy-free mascarpone and coconut cream for DF, and skip the booze by replacing limoncello with lemon juice plus a drizzle of honey or simple syrup.
- Don’t rush cooling—stacking warm cakes will melt the filling.
- This cake tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to mingle.
Nutrition
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Protein: 5 g