Glazed Limoncello Cake

This easy Limoncello Cake bursts with bright lemon flavor! The limoncello icing infuses into the cake to make it extra moist and adds a touch of tart sweetness on top. With just the right balance of sweet and citrus, serve this lemon cake for afternoon tea or as a delicious dessert. Bring a slice of lemony sunshine into your day!

[January, 2024: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]

Why this recipe works

• Bright lemon flavor shines in the cake and the glaze with the right balance of sweet and citrus
• Can be made using limoncello or lemon juice (for a non-alcoholic version)
• Limoncello Cake can be served for brunch, afternoon tea, or as a delicious dessert

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: This liqueur is a lemon-infused vodka that's sweetened with a simple syrup, and it's very easy to make at home. The alcohol cooks out of the cake itself, but is present in full strength in the limoncello glaze that's infused into the still-warm cake. If you want a non-alcoholic lemon cake, substitute fresh lemon juice for the limoncello liqueur. The 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, or you can use 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract if you prefer.

See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

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. Try not to over-mix the batter - you don't want to develop the gluten so the cake stays tender.

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).

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. this step is...uhm...the icing on the cake (photo 7)!

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.