White Chocolate Limoncello Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

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And just like that, it’s Mother’s Day weekend. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there, I made you a cake. This White Chocolate Limoncello Cake was inspired by my own mother’s love of lemon desserts. Her favorite is actually Lemon Meringue Pie but I figured you probably didn’t need yet another Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. So I changed things up a bit with this golden beauty. This cake is rich, velvety, and capital-M Moist. I know most people hate that word, but there really is no other word for it. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Now, I designed this cake for those of us who aren’t frosting fanatics. I have nothing against frosting, I do actually enjoy it. But I prefer my cake to be 75-80% of the show. The frosting is the accent, not the main event. Now, if you are more of a frosting enthusiast, you could easily split the cake in half and fill it with another batch of the mascarpone frosting. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First things first let’s talk cake. This cake is built on the bones of a white chocolate mud cake. Essentially it is the ivory version of a classic mud cake. Mud cakes tend to be rich with a creamy, dense crumb. This White Chocolate Limoncello Cake has some of the characteristics of mud cake but I think it’s a little lighter. Sort of a cross between a lemon cake and a white chocolate mud cake. This may be a pro or a con in your books. It really depends on what you look for in a cake.

Let’s talk about how this cake comes together. And that all starts with preparing the pan. This cake tends to be a bit sticky. It has a lot of liquid in it and white chocolate comes with its fair share of sugar. So grease your cake pan with butter all the way to the top and line every inch of it with parchment paper. The butter will help the paper stick to the sides of the pan. And speaking of the pan, select an 8-inch cake pan that is also 3-inches deep. Wilton makes a nice one. This cake will rise all the way to the edge, so short cake pans need not apply.

Now that your pan is primed, let’s get cracking on the cake. Start by whisking the dry ingredients and lemon zest together. Then combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and finally, melt the butter and chocolate in another bowl over a double boiler. Make sure you really whisk the butter and melted chocolate together to form a cohesive mixture. They have a tendency to separate. 

So yeah, this isn’t a single bowl affair. But trust and believe, this cake is worth it. Once all your components are ready to go, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until a batter forms. The batter should be a little loose. Fold in the chocolate mixture and pour everything into your prepared pan. Bake the cake for an hour and 10 minutes or until set in the center.

Once your cake has cooled completely, it’s time to make the mascarpone frosting. I love this frosting because it’s fluffy in texture, rich in flavor, and light on the sugar. There’s only a 1/4 cup of sugar in this frosting. I’d like to see other frostings claim that. Start with a cup of cream and whip it until soft peaks form. In another bowl, whisk to combine the sugar, mascarpone, and limoncello. I know, again with the multiple bowls. But again, I promise this is all worth it. Fold the cream into the mascarpone mixture and you’re done.

When it comes to decorating your cake, let your own personal aesthetic be your guide. Pile on the frosting and top it with whatever your heart desires. I went with candied lemon wheels (don’t worry, the recipe is included below) and fresh sage leaves.  And at this point, you’re ready to serve this baby. And that’s everything you need to know about this White Chocolate Limoncello Cake. I hope you try this one. It’s seriously my new favorite cake!

Enjoy!