Description
A bright and creamy Lemon Tiramisu Cake combining zesty lemon curd, soft lemon-flavored sponge, and luscious mascarpone frosting, soaked with lemon syrup for a refreshingly tangy twist on the classic tiramisu.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Curd:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut in cubes
Lemon Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups (280 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp lemon zest (about 3 large lemons zested)
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Lemon Syrup:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3/4–1 cup (150–200 g) granulated white sugar, depending on desired sweetness
Lemon Mascarpone Frosting:
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 16 oz (452 g) mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1 cup (135 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, for pouring over cake
Instructions
- Make the Lemon Curd: In a medium saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking frequently for 20-25 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in cold cubed butter until melted. Transfer curd to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation, and chill until completely cool.
- Prepare the Lemon Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream softened butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Add egg whites, lemon zest, and vanilla; mix on medium speed until pale and smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk on low speed, mixing until just combined. Scrape sides as needed.
- Bake the Cake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 36-42 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes, then lift out with parchment paper and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make Lemon Syrup: While cake cools, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and transfer to a pourable container.
- Make Lemon Mascarpone Frosting: Whip heavy cream in a large bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 1.5 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift powdered sugar into cold mascarpone cheese along with lemon zest; mix on medium speed until smooth and combined. If mixture is runny, whip on high speed until fluffy. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture with a spatula. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.
- Assemble the Cake: Place cooled cake on serving plate. Using a wooden stick, poke holes evenly over the cake surface. Pour whole milk slowly over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Next, pour about 3/4 of the lemon syrup over the cake, letting it absorb fully. Reserve remaining syrup for serving. Transfer chilled lemon curd to a piping bag with a small tip and pipe into the holes of the cake. Pipe mascarpone frosting decoratively atop the cake, alternating with small dots of lemon curd. Sprinkle the top with additional lemon zest. Cut into 16 squares. Drizzle extra lemon syrup on each slice when serving and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure egg yolks and whites are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best bright lemon flavor.
- Cover lemon curd tightly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation while cooling.
- When folding mascarpone and whipped cream, be gentle to keep a light and fluffy texture.
- The lemon syrup sweetness can be adjusted to preference; less sugar yields a tangier syrup.
- Make the lemon curd and frosting ahead to save assembly time.
- Allow milk and syrup to fully soak into the cake for optimal moistness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16th of cake)
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
