Italian Lemon Cream Cake (Printable Version)
Tender sponge layers filled with tangy lemon cream and topped with powdered sugar. A beautifully balanced Italian dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
07 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Lemon Cream Filling
11 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
12 - 8 oz mascarpone cheese, chilled
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
15 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
16 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Topping
17 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
18 - Lemon slices or zest for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
02 - Beat butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
03 - Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until incorporated.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
05 - Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
07 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat mascarpone and powdered sugar until smooth. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.
09 - Whip cold cream to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until fully combined.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the lemon cream. Top with second cake layer and spread remaining cream on top and sides.
11 - Chill cake for at least 1 hour before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices or zest.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The mascarpone cream creates this impossibly silky texture that somehow manages to feel both rich and refreshing
- Its the kind of dessert that makes people pause after their first bite and genuinely ask what they're eating
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable for the cake layers to come together properly
- The cream will look slightly soft right after you assemble it, but an hour in the fridge transforms it completely
03 -
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for 10 minutes before whipping the cream, it makes such a difference in how quickly it whips up
- When folding the whipped cream into the mascarpone, use a rubber spatula and scrape around the edges and across the bottom in a figure-eight motion