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This Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake is made with a moist lemon cake, lemon curd and a smooth and creamy whipped mascarpone frosting! It’s light, yet sweet and tart and so darn good! It’ll be your new favorite cake for spring!
So today I’m sharing an update on this recipe. I originally posted it about 2 years ago and it had kind of mixed reviews during it’s time. The lemon curd and frosting are solid and I’ve used them many times in many ways, but some people had issues with the cake layers. I find with most recipes that there are always people who have trouble. It’s the nature of baking. But if people have enough trouble, it catches my attention. And being one who would prefer that everyone be successful (even though I know that’s nearly impossible), I thought I’d give this recipe an update.
When I shared my Lemon Poppyseed Cake last year, I fell in love with it. The cake layers are pretty perfect and the reviews back it up. So I decided to swap out the original lemon cake layers used in this cake with the lemon cake layers from that cake. Everything else is the same. Even if you loved the original version of this cake, you might want to try this new version because I do think it’s even better.
So if you’ve never seen this cake before, let’s chat about it a bit. This cake was inspired largely by this Lemon Mascarpone Cream Pie that I made shortly before making the original version of this cake. I loved the sweet and tart flavor with the smooth mascarpone cheese and thought it might bake a fabulous cake. Boy, was I right!
To get started making it, you’ll make the lemon curd. It’s fairly simple to make with lemon juice and zest, sugar, egg yolks and butter. It’s cooked over a double boiler (or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water) and when cooled, thickens nicely for layering inside the cake.
The cake itself is lemon heaven. It is wonderfully moist from the addition of some oil along with the butter used. Plus, it uses both lemon juice and lemon zest for that great flavor.
And then there’s the frosting. If you’ve made my Berry Mascarpone Layer Cake before, then you’ve made this frosting and know how amazing it is. So light and tasty with the flavor of the mascarpone cheese! You’ll make homemade whipped cream and then add mascarpone cheese to it and you’re done!
Once everything is made, put the cake together and dig in!
The flavors of this cake are seriously amazing. The lemon cake is tender, sweet and super moist. The curd is plenty tart and full of lemon flavor. The cake and curd alone are wonderful together, but then you add the whipped mascarpone frosting and it takes it over the top! It softens the tartness and sweetness of the cake and adds a creaminess that is perfection! I love, love, love the flavors and textures together. Hard to stop eating it!
If you’re a big fan of the original recipe, you can download a PDF file of it here.
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/13/20 to address concerns about the cake layers being dense. It’s a new recipe for the cake layers, but the filling and whipped frosting are the same.
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Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake is made with a moist lemon cake, lemon curd and a smooth and creamy whipped mascarpone frosting!
Ingredients
LEMON CURD
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup (69g) sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp (42g) salted butter
LEMON CAKE LAYERS
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
WHIPPED MASCARPONE FROSTING
- 2 1/2 cups (600ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 1/2 cups (173g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 16 oz (452g) mascarpone cheese, chilled*
Instructions
1. Combine all the ingredients in a double boiler (or in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water). Heat while whisking constantly until mixture thickens and reaches 160 degrees, or coats the back of a spoon.
2. Pour the lemon curd into a heat proof bowl, cover with clear wrap pressed onto the the top of the curd to avoid a film developing, and refrigerate until cold.
TO MAKE THE CAKE LAYERS:
3. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
6. Combine the milk and lemon juice, then slowly add the mixture to the batter and mix until well combined.
7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
8. Add the lemon zest and gently stir to combine.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
10. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING AND ASSEMBLE CAKE:
11. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks form.
12. Add the mascarpone cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly. Set whipped frosting in the refrigerator.
13. To assemble the cake, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes, if needed.
14. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round. Pipe a dam of frosting around the outside of the cake. I use Ateco tip 808 for the dam so that it’s tall.
15. Spread half of the lemon curd evenly on top of the cake layer, inside the dam. It should fill the dam about half way full.
16. Add some mascarpone frosting to the top of the lemon filling and spread into an even layer to fill in the remaining dam space.
17. Add the second layer of cake and repeat the filling layer with the remaining lemon curd and additional mascarpone frosting.
18. Add the final layer of cake on top, then smooth out the frosting around the sides of the cake.
19. Frost the outside of the cake, then use an offset spatula to create a striped pattern on the sides of the cake, if desired. Pipe swirls of frosting onto the top of the cake and finish it off with some lemon slice candies and white pearl sprinkles.
20. Refrigerate well covered until ready to serve. I find that the cake is best when served a little chilled, but not cold. Cake should stay fresh when well covered for 2-4 days.
*I prefer to use the mascarpone cheese when still chilled, but soft, so that it’ll in corporate well, without chunks. The warmer mascarpone cheese is, the more likely it is to soften to the point that it won’t firm up well again and can make too soft of a frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 618
- Sugar: 41.9 g
- Sodium: 281.9 mg
- Fat: 38.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 61.1 g
- Protein: 9.1 g
- Cholesterol: 187.5 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
I made this cake yesterday. The cake was moist and delicious, not dense at all. However, the mascapone frosting disintegrated and didn’t hold its shape. Should the heavy whipping cream be stabilized with gelatin before adding the mascapone to maintain its consistency?
I’m glad you enjoyed the cake. I have used this frosting on many cakes and it really does work well and is very stable. There’s no gelatin. Assuming there wasn’t an issue with the cream itself, it probably was the cheese. Mascarpone cheese can be finicky. If it gets too warm, it will do that – even in frosting – and no amount of refrigerating it fixes that. My guess is your cheese was too warm when you added it. It’s best if it’s still cool, but not straight out of the fridge when you use it.
Hi!
I made this cake today and it has been the best lemon cake that I’ve made so far. Thank you! I do have a question though – I like my layers to be thicker than what this recipe came out as. Do you have a suggestion how I can adjust this?
So glad to hear that! You could try making 6 inch layers to make them thicker, or try increasing the batter. If you do 1 1/2 recipes worth, you could try it in 8 or 9 inch pans and see if you get the height you want.
I was hesitant to make this cake due to the overwhelming mixed reviews, but after reading that it had since been revised, I decided to give it a try and I was not disappointed. I only made the cake portion and paired it with a different frosting, and the cake itself was wonderfully moist and flavorful, not dense whatsoever!
This cake is incredible! Thank you for sharing and updating. I used the new recipe and it was amazing!
I want to make this cake for my sister’s birthday. We all love lemon and this cake looks beautiful.
Hi. I made the original version and enjoyed it very much. So much, I decided to make the revised version and I do like this one better. Thank you for taking the time to update it. The cake is delicious. Everyone should give it a try and fall in love like I did.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Lindsey,
I tried the new recipe you posted. I thought the cake came out very moist and was delicious. It had good lemon flavor throughout and the frosting wasn’t too sweet. I did notice that the first time I made the lemon curd, it was not enough filling. I ended up making another batch and just doubled the recipe.
Hello! This cake looks devine! My attempt at whipped frosting isn’t working for me. Any suggestions? My swipes do not set up like yours. I made the ice cream cake Friday and I may have over beated the frosting. How can I test to make sure it’s the right consistency? Should I try to pipe a swirl?
Can I make a lemon buttercream and use on this? I’m thinking of doing a raspberry filling inside
Love your website! It’s my go to for inspiration.
I might check to make sure you’re using a HEAVY whipping cream or HEAVY cream. It has a higher fat content, which allows it to whip better. If could also be over whipping. Certainly you could pipe a swirl to test it, but I normally just lift my whisk out of the bowl and turn it upside down. If the peak stays in place, then it’s firm enough. I hope that helps!
Lemon buttercream would be fine.
Glad you enjoy the site!
Thank you for your reply!! I plan on making this on Friday. Instead of the lemon curd I may try the raspberry purée from the raspberry dream cake. Thoughts on how that would taste? Do you have a lemon frosting recipe?
I’m glad you chose to redo this cake, not only for the enjoyment of an even more delicious cake to enjoy but as a teaching experience. I can’t tell you how many people, mostly females over the years have said to me they don’t bake and at least half don’t even attempt much cooking because they’re terrified of making mistakes. Now if you put aside the thought of wasting the ingredients and the money, which is what irritates me the most, I’ve always said to them, EVERY baker and EVERY cook, no matter how experienced, how professional have their flops, recipes which aren’t very good and if they tell you differently they’re lying or they NEVER try anything new. I did date a man once for five LONG years that I learned his mother made FIVE recipes, that’s it. She always baked the same pie, the same cookie and so forth. This man was the pickiest eater I had never known. I think had we married I would have taken the cast iron skillet over head finally one day. A person can’t be afraid to try something. I tell them its the only way you learn. Plus, women today have a MUCH easier time than I did. Being born in the early 60s PBS was still a ways off and if an adult didn’t teach cooking and you didn’t have some in school (which I don’t think they even have any more), you were out of luck of seeing an actual person do anything. All you had were cookbooks, most without pictures at the time. Some only had sketches. I won’t even buy a cookbook any longer without pictures. I can still remember the spaghetti I made about age 12 which was one big blob of noodles, but my family ate it anyway. So while the original cake wasn’t a “flop”, it wasn’t the best you felt it could be and could still be improved. People are doing that now to recipes more than ever. In fact I think they do it TOO much at times. Sometimes things are best left alone. I have seen some CRAZY recipes online over the past 20 years. I realize each blogger needs unique recipes but there is only SO much you can do with a brownie or a sugar cookie or an apple pie or a variety of other recipes. Sometimes the changes aren’t for the best, sometimes they are. But I’m glad you showed your readers, especially ones still fairly new at all of this its absolutely fine to return to a recipe and make changes IF those changes improve the final version. As a TRUE lemon fan, usually choosing lemon over chocolate (I know, that makes some people swoon and almost faint its so unthinkable to them) I am definitely looking forward to giving this a try, especially as I have mascarpone in the refrigerator right now which should be used. Well done and keep those lemon desserts coming. Us non chocolate folks love them.
Hi, I was just wanting to make this cake for my mothers and fathers birthday, but I was wondering if it was moist and if I could bake it in 2 9in baking pans…
Also, would it be ok for me to throw in a few blueberries into the batter and sustitute the mascarpone frosting for a cream cheese frosting?
Yes, very moist. You can bake it in two 9 inch pans but might need to adjust the baking tone. You won’t need as much lemon curd either. The blueberries will sink, but you could add them. And cream cheese will work just fine.
Ok thanks! Is there a specific amount that you would recommend I use for all the ingredients of the lemon curd? If not thats absolutely fine!
Well, you’ll only need one layer of curd, instead of two. So you should be able to just cut it in half.
Can’t wait to try this! Can I use store-bought lemon curd instead of making it? I have it on hand from Trader Joe’s.
Sure, you can.
Hi. I’m making this recipe. Everything going well until the mascarpone frosting. I had my whipped cream ready and negra I put the mascarpone disaster. It looked like crumbled cheese in water. What went wrong?
If it was lumpy, it’s likely that your mascarpone cheese was too cold.
It could be that you over whipped the mascarpone or that it was too warm when you added it.
I made this wonderful, melt in your mouth cake today. It is outstanding. Since there are only 2 of us and no place to share, I made half of the recipe – love having the metric measurements. I baked in 3 6-inch pans and adjusted timing. I followed all of the directions the same. I’ll be baking it again when I can share. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks Sandra!
Probably I’d start by trying a 1/2 recipe in a 9×9 square pan. I found this blog to be very helpful:
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2019/10/28/how-to-make-sheet-cake-from-a-layer-cake-recipe
and I’m going to give it a whirl!
Is there any way to convert this to a sheet pan cake with one layer of lemon curd?
What size sheet cake? Like a 9×13? I haven’t tried this particular cake at that size, but I imagine it would be ok. I might just reduce the temperature of the oven to 325 and increase the baking time a bit.
I made the cake layers last week and froze them. The still wrapped cake layers have thawed in the refrigerator. I had planned to frost today for my party tomorrow, but am wondering if you advise frosting tomorrow. Regarding the issue with thin whipped frosting, I often stabilize whip cream with gelatin. That prevents thinning. You are very generous with your time to answer all the questions you receive. Thanks
It would be fie to frost a day ahead. I’ve never had trouble with this whipped cream wilting.