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!
2 to 3tablespoons(44grams)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 the sugar, yogurt, melted butter, eggs, limoncello, vanilla bean seeds, and lemon zest.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 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 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.
Make the glaze: While the cake is cooling in the pan, 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.
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.
Recipe Notes
The alcohol from the limoncello will bake out of the cake (an unglazed cake is pregnancy- and kid-friendly), but will be 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.This cake is very versatile. You can use a standard loaf pan, a small (6-cup) bundt pan, or even make muffins. You can also double the recipe if you want to use a full-sized (10-12 cup) bundt pan and bake the cake for about 50 to 60 minutes.