This easy Glazed Limoncello Cake is a tender lemon yogurt loaf with sunny citrus flavor in every bite. It's infused with limoncello, then finished with a sweet-tart icing that adds moisture inside and a delicate glaze on top. Serve it for brunch, afternoon tea, dessert, or whenever you need a little lemony sunshine!
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[January, 2024: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Quick Recipe Summary ✨
Glazed Limoncello Cake: A moist lemon yogurt loaf cake flavored with limoncello and finished with a sweet-tart limoncello icing that soaks into the warm cake.
Bright lemon flavor: Limoncello and lemon zest bring sunny citrus flavor to the cake, while the two-step glaze adds moisture and that lovely lemony finish on top.
Flexible cake style: Bake it as a loaf, small Bundt cake, mini loaves, muffins, or double the batter for a full-size Bundt cake.
Active Time: About 20 minutes • Bake Time: 40 to 45 minutes • Cooling Time: About 1 hour • Total Time: About 2 hours
Difficulty Level: ⭐⭐ Easy. No mixer, no creaming butter, and no fancy decorating needed. Just whisk, bake, poke, and glaze.
Yield: 16 slices • Freezer-friendly: Unglazed cake freezes up to 6 months • Make-ahead: Bake ahead, then glaze before serving.
👉 Follow the detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips below to make a tender, bright limoncello cake with a smooth glaze that soaks in without turning soggy.
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Why this recipe works
- No mixer needed: Melted butter and yogurt make this an easy whisk-and-stir batter with minimal cleanup
- Greek yogurt creates a tender crumb: It adds moisture and just enough acidity for a soft, delicate texture
- Bright lemon flavor without being overly tart: Limoncello and fresh lemon zest work together for balanced citrus flavor
- Stays moist for days: The yogurt and two-stage icing help keep the cake soft, making it ideal for baking ahead
- Easy to make alcohol-free: Substitute fresh lemon juice if you want all the lemon flavor without the liqueur
Lemons remind me of springtime, no matter what the season. It could be grey and pouring rain, but just one taste of anything made from lemons brings a bit of joy into my day.
A bite from a lemon tartlet puts a smile on my face. A sip of homemade limoncello is like tasting sunshine. So it's no surprise that baking with limoncello adds its bright sweet, tart, citrus flavor to this Limoncello Cake (also spelled lemonchello cake).
This Limoncello Cake recipe has the right balance of sweet and citrus, and you can make a fun limoncello cocktail (like a Limoncello Rye Sour) to serve on the side.
It's perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, dessert, and makes a lovely gift!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was so delicious! Easy too. I used vanilla yogurt because that was what I had on hand. Will definitely make this again.
- Abbie
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this limoncello cake recipe:
And these ingredients for the limoncello glaze:
Ingredient Notes
This limoncello cake recipe is a version of a lemon yogurt cake, a tea bread similar to pound cake, though it's moister and has a softer crumb. Lemon tea breads are generally made in a loaf pan, although as a quick bread, you can use a bundt pan as well (see choosing your cake style and size below).
As a variation of pound cake, the cake batter contains the usual flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. And as a quick bread, you don't need the mixer since there's no creaming required.
Limoncello Liqueur: Adds sweet lemon flavor without making the cake overly tart. Because limoncello made by infusing lemon zest into vodka and then sweetened with simple syrup, it contributes a deeper citrus aroma than lemon juice alone would. The result is a cake with bright lemon flavor and a subtle floral finish. Plus, it's very easy to make limoncello liqueur at home, or you can use a store bought version.
Most of the alcohol in the cake batter bakes off during baking. However, because the glaze isn't cooked, it contains the limoncello flavor and a level of alcohol content. If you prefer an alcohol-free cake, substitute fresh lemon juice for the limoncello in both the cake and glaze. The cake batter won't be quite as sweet, so you may want to add 2 to 3 tablespoons more sugar.
Greek yogurt or sour cream: The addition of Greek yogurt or sour cream adds moistness and a bit of acid to react with the leaveners for extra lift. Having it at room temperature helps to mix it faster so you don't over-mix the batter.
Eggs: Like with the dairy, having the eggs at room temperature allows them to mix into the batter faster.
Vanilla: Used to add a bit of richness underneath the lemon flavor. I like to use fresh vanilla beans whenever possible. If you prefer, you can use 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (which adds flavor along with the vanilla bean seeds).
Limoncello icing (aka limoncello glaze): For this cake, limoncello icing and limoncello glaze are essentially the same thing, that is, powdered sugar whisked with limoncello until smooth. Make the icing thinner if you want it to soak into the warm cake, or thicker if you want a more visible drizzle on top.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make limoncello cake with limoncello icing
Step 1: Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, yogurt, melted butter, eggs, limoncello, vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract or paste, if using instead), and lemon zest (photo 1).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (photo 2).
Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir until just combined.
Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the side (to ease removal later). Spray the parchment and uncovered sides with baking spray. You can clip the parchment paper to the sides of the pan if you'd like.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan (photo 3).
Don't over-mix the batter
When adding the flour mixture, stir the batter until it's just combined. You don't want to develop the gluten, so the cake stays tender.
Step 2: Bake the cake
Bake the cake at 350˚F for 40 to 45 minutes until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center is clean and the top of the cake is golden brown. Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
Remove the cake from the pan using the parchment paper as a sling. Poke holes in the top of the still-warm cake with a cake tester or toothpick (photo 4).
Step 3: Infuse and glaze the cake
While the cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and the limoncello in a bowl until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding 1 teaspoon of water or more sifted powdered sugar as needed (photo 5).
Pour some of the glaze over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in. This step adds more flavor and moisture to the cake as it cools.
Let cake cool completely and the glaze to set (photo 6).
Drizzle the remainder of the glaze over the cake and let the glaze dry (photo 7). This step is...uhm...limoncello icing on the cake!
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Limoncello cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Make-ahead instructions: The unglazed cake can be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight bag, for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and glaze before serving.
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some issues you might encounter when making this Glazed Limoncello Cake:
- Cake is dense or tough: The batter was likely overmixed. Stir just until the flour disappears. There's no need to chase every tiny lump
- Cake is dry: It may have baked too long. Start checking at 40 minutes, and pull it when a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs
- Cake sticks to the pan: Use parchment paper overhanging the sides and spray the exposed sides well with baking spray. Future you will be very grateful
- Glaze is too thin: Add more sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it drizzles slowly
- Glaze is too thick: Whisk in limoncello, lemon juice, or water 1 teaspoon at a time
- Glaze disappeared into the cake: That's expected for the first pour. Save some glaze for a second drizzle once the cake cools
Choose your cake style and size
Most quick bread & muffin recipes can be made as Bundt cakes, and vice versa. Don't be limited to one shape for a recipe!
Although this limoncello loaf cake is baked in a standard loaf pan, the same batter also works beautifully in Bundt pans, mini loaves, and muffins. A loaf pan produces taller slices that are ideal for glazing, while a Bundt pan gives the cake a more elegant presentation for entertaining.
Here are some presentation options to consider:
- Make as a loaf cake in a standard loaf pan
- Make a small Bundt cake using a small (6-cup) Bundt pan
- Make a full-sized Bundt cake by doubling the recipe and using a full-sized (10 to 12 cup) Bundt pan
- Make mini loaf cakes using mini loaf pans
- Make muffins in a standard muffin pan
- Make mini muffin bites in a mini muffin pan
However you serve this cake it's great for breakfast, afternoon tea, and gift giving!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions that you might have...
Yes. Fresh lemon juice makes an excellent alcohol-free glaze. Because limoncello is sweetened, you may need slightly more powdered sugar or a little less lemon juice to reach the right consistency.
Limoncello cake is usually a lemon cake flavored with limoncello liqueur and finished with either a glaze or frosting. Some versions are layered with lemon curd and mascarpone frosting, while this version is a simple yogurt loaf cake finished with a two-stage limoncello icing that soaks into the cake before forming a glaze on top.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More recipes with citrus to try
Recipe
Glazed Limoncello Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain or sour cream, at room temperature
- ¼ cup limoncello, or lemon juice, see Recipe Notes
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 fresh vanilla bean, scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, see Recipe Notes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons limoncello, or lemon juice, see Recipe Notes
Instructions
- Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the side (to ease removal later). Spray the parchment and uncovered sides with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup limoncello, ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled), 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 fresh vanilla bean (scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, if using instead). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir until just combined. Try not to over-mix the batter - you don't want to develop the gluten so the cake stays tender.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center is clean and the top of the cake is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Make the glaze: While the cake is cooling in the pan, whisk together ¾ cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons limoncello (or lemon juice) in a bowl until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding 1 teaspoon of water or more sifted powdered sugar as needed.
- Remove the cake from the pan, using the parchment paper as a sling. Poke holes in the top of the cake with a cake tester or toothpick, then pour a some of the glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Let cake cool completely.
- Drizzle the remainder of the glaze over the cake and let the glaze dry.
- Serve and enjoy the sunshine!
- Storage instructions: Limoncello cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Make-ahead instructions: The unglazed cake can be frozen, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight bag, for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and glaze before serving.
Ann says
This is my go to summer desert! It’s absolutely delicious
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Ann, I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for sharing, and happy baking! 🙂
Abbie Karic says
This was so delicious! Easy too. I used vanilla yogurt because that was what I had on hand. Will definitely make this again.