Sweet and Booze limoncello mascarpone cake perfect for brunch

Fond of the handmade Italian limoncello? If you have a bottle lurking in your home that you don’t mind going into a cake, then this recipe is perfect. It’s a lemon-heavy cake with booze in it, so, it’s not suitable for kids. This limoncello mascarpone cake is perfect for brunch with your pals who love their desserts or something as an after dinner treat for your guests too.

Limoncello Mascarpone Cake

(Serves 16)

Ingredients

Limoncello Cake

• 240 gm all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 250 gm granulated sugar
• 2 large lemons, zested
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 180 ml olive oil
• 120 ml limoncello
• 60 ml lemon juice
• 60 gm sour cream, room temperature

Mascarpone Frosting:

• 225 gm mascarpone cheese
• 120 gm powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 240 ml heavy cream, cold
• 100 to 50 gm lemon curd

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 23 cm springform pan with parchment paper and thoroughly grease the sides and bottom.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined and no lumps remain.
3. Add sugar and freshly grated lemon zest in a large mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. Mix until the mixture resembles wet sand and becomes fragrant.
4. On low speed, whisk eggs into the lemon-sugar mixture until fully incorporated. Increase speed to high and whip for two to three minutes until the mixture becomes very thick and pale yellow, and forms ribbons when lifted.
5. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in olive oil in a thin, steady stream until combined. Follow with limoncello, fresh lemon juice, and sour cream in the same manner.
6. Continue mixing on low speed for a minute to ensure everything is fully combined. Pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
7. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.
8. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
9. Place the cake in a pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, carefully remove the springform ring, and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
10. Place metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment in refrigerator or freezer for 15-20 minutes to properly chill before preparing frosting.
11. Using chilled equipment, whisk mascarpone cheese on low speed until completely smooth and free of lumps, about one to two minutes.
12. Add vanilla extract and gradually incorporate powdered sugar while mixing on low speed until fully combined and smooth.
13. With the mixer still on low speed, slowly drizzle in cold heavy cream. Once all cream is added, increase speed to medium and whip for two to three minutes until frosting becomes light, fluffy and holds soft peaks.
14. Once the cake is fully cooled, generously spread mascarpone frosting over the top, creating decorative swirls and peaks using the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
15. Dollop teaspoons of lemon curd onto the frosting swirls. Using the tip of a spoon, gently swirl the curd through the frosting in a marbled pattern, being careful not to completely mix them.

Common Cake Troubles:

• Cake sinking in middle: If your cake sinks in the center during or after baking, it's likely due to opening the oven door too early during baking, underbaking, or overmixing the batter. Ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking, avoid opening the door during the first 30 minutes of baking, and mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined.
• Curdled batter: If your batter appears curdled or separated after adding wet ingredients, this is often due to cold ingredients not being at room temperature. While the cake may still bake properly, for best results ensure eggs, sour cream, and other refrigerated ingredients are brought to room temperature before beginning. If curdling occurs, continue with the recipe, the batter will eventually turn out fine.
• Cracked surface: A cracked top surface typically indicates the oven temperature was too high or the cake was placed too close to the top of the oven. Position your rack in the middle of the oven and consider reducing the temperature by 10°C if this occurs.
• Dense or heavy cake: A dense, heavy cake usually results from overmixing the batter once the flour is added, which develops too much gluten. Mix the dry ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain.

Frosting issues: If your mascarpone frosting becomes grainy or separated, it's usually because the cheese was overmixed or too warm. Keep mascarpone very cold, mix on low speed just until smooth, and avoid overbeating.