Cake
Description
Homemade treats for tea. The “Limoncello” cake will remind you of sunny Italy, even if you have never been there. Because it turned out bright, beautiful, and festive, with a pleasant, refreshing lemon flavor. This cake is made with my favorite “chiffon” sponge cake. That sponge always turns out airy and beautiful—exactly what any cake needs. Follow the step-by-step recipe and treat yourself and your loved ones to delicious homemade baking. Serve cooled or slightly warm.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients. Prepare a springform baking tin about 20 cm in diameter. Grease it with butter, dust with flour, and shake off any excess flour. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- 2
Step 2
The cake will be based on a “chiffon sponge cake.” To make it, separate the whites and yolks of 5 eggs.
- 3
Step 3
First beat the egg whites into a light, fluffy foam, then add the sugar in several additions while continuing to beat. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- 4
Step 4
Add the zest of one lemon and turmeric to the egg whites; whisk.
- 5
Step 5
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating continuously. After the last yolk is added, beat for 2 more minutes.
- 6
Step 6
Sift the flour and starch into the whipped mixture and fold in the dry ingredients very quickly and vigorously, then transfer the batter into a prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
- 7
Step 7
Carefully remove the finished sponge cake from the pan and cool it on a wire rack.
- 8
Step 8
If time allows, wrap the cooled sponge cake in plastic wrap and leave it like this for 3–6 hours.
- 9
Step 9
To make lemon pastry cream, whisk 2 eggs into a saucepan, add 60 grams of sugar and 10 grams of starch, add the juice of one lemon. Mix well.
- 10
Step 10
Heat the cream over medium heat until it thickens, stirring constantly.
- 11
Step 11
Cover the cream with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface; cool to room temperature.
- 12
Step 12
Add room-temperature butter to the cream (the butter should also be at room temperature) and whip until smooth and homogeneous.
- 13
Step 13
When assembling the cake, the sponge “bottom” will be its top, because it is flatter. Cut the sponge into 3 layers.
- 14
Step 14
Spread one-third of the cream on the bottom layer, and spread the same amount of cream on the second layer.
- 15
Step 15
Spread the remaining cream on the sides of the cake.
- 16
Step 16
Sprinkle the sides of the cake with waffle crumbs or coconut flakes.
- 17
Step 17
To make lemon icing, mix powdered sugar with 3–4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add the lemon juice one spoonful at a time until you reach the desired consistency—not too runny, but not very thick either.
- 18
Step 18
If desired, add 1 drop of yellow food coloring (although you can leave the fondant white).
- 19
Step 19
Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, deliberately creating picturesque drips of glaze. If you like, you can decorate the top with almond petals, mint leaves, and white chocolate. The cake turns out festive, “sunny,” and refreshing, like Limoncello.