Limoncello and Citrus Cake

Ingredients

• 150 g Unsalted butter (Melted then cooled)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 150 g for the cake, 50 g for the jelly, 80 g for the syrup)
• 1 citrus Yellow lemon zest (unprocessed) (Finely grate and incorporate into the sugar)
• 1 citrus Orange zest (Finely grate)
• 1 citrus Lime zest (Finely grate)
• 3 pcs Large eggs (At room temperature)
• 200 g All‑purpose flour (Sift with leavening and salt)
• 10 g Baking powder (About 1 sachet)
• 2 g Salt (Pinch)
• 100 ml Heavy cream (Fresh, at room temperature)
• 90 ml Limoncello (Divided: 60 ml for the batter, 30 ml for the jelly, 30 ml for the syrup)
• 2 g Agar‑agar powder (For the jelly)
• 100 ml Fresh yellow lemon juice (Hand‑squeezed)
• 100 ml Fresh orange juice (Hand‑squeezed)
• 50 ml Fresh lime juice (Hand‑squeezed)
• 100 ml Water (For the syrup)
• 30 g Lemon jam (For the final shine)
• 8 pcs Small meringues (To place on top)
• 1 sheet Parchment paper (Line the mold and the jelly ring)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter

   Place the butter in pieces in a suitable bowl and melt in the microwave for 30‑45 s. Let it warm slightly.

   Time: PT1M

2. Flavor the sugar with the zest

   In a bowl, pour 150 g of sugar. Add the yellow lemon, orange and lime zest. Rub with fingers for 5 min until the sugar is scented.

   Time: PT5M

3. Incorporate the eggs

   Add the 3 eggs to the sugar‑zest mixture and whisk with an electric mixer for 2‑3 min until the mixture whitens and becomes foamy.

   Time: PT3M

4. Add the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the mixture. Gently fold with the spatula until a homogeneous batter is obtained.

   Time: PT2M

5. Add cream and limoncello

   Pour 100 ml of heavy cream then 60 ml of limoncello. Mix for 1 min until everything is well incorporated.

   Time: PT1M

6. Add the melted butter

   Pour the cooled melted butter into the batter and mix one last time to homogenize.

   Time: PT1M

7. Batter rest

   Transfer the batter into a piping bag, cover and place in the refrigerator for 8 hours (or overnight).

   Time: PT0M

8. Prepare the citrus jelly

   Mix 2 g of agar‑agar with 50 g of sugar. In a saucepan, heat the yellow lemon, orange, lime juices and 30 ml of limoncello to 80°C. Add the agar‑agar‑sugar mixture, bring to a boil for 2‑3 min while stirring constantly.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 80°C

9. Set the jelly

   Pour the preparation into a 15 cm ring previously lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 4 hours until the jelly firms.

   Time: PT0M

10. Cut the jelly into cubes

    Carefully unmold the jelly and cut into small cubes with a sharp knife.

    Time: PT5M

11. Prepare the lemon syrup

    In a small saucepan, bring 100 ml of water, the yellow lemon juice and 80 g of sugar to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, remove from heat, add 30 ml of limoncello and stir.

    Time: PT4M

    Temperature: 100°C

12. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan

    Preheat the oven to 160°C fan‑forced. Butter the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 160°C

13. Bake the cake

    Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the surface and bake for 45‑50 min. Check doneness by inserting a knife blade: it should come out slightly moist but clean.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: 160°C

14. Cool and unmold

    Let the cake warm for 10 min in the pan, then gently unmold onto a rack to cool completely at room temperature.

    Time: PT10M

15. Soak the cake with syrup

    Using a brush, generously brush the still‑warm cake with the hot lemon syrup (use the entire syrup).

    Time: PT5M

16. Refrigerator rest

    Let the cake cool at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for 40 min before decorating.

    Time: PT0M

17. Glaze and decorate

    Brush the cake surface with lemon jam to add shine. Arrange the small meringues and citrus jelly cubes on top.

    Time: PT7M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

300

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Yellow lemon zest (unprocessed): Organic lemon zest
• Instead of Orange zest: Blood orange zest
• Instead of Lime zest: Lime zest
• Instead of Large eggs: Chicken eggs
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Wheat flour
• Instead of Baking powder: Leavening powder
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Heavy cream: 30 % cream
• Instead of Limoncello: Orange liqueur
• Instead of Agar‑agar powder: Gelatin
• Instead of Fresh yellow lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice
• Instead of Fresh orange juice: Bottled orange juice
• Instead of Fresh lime juice: Bottled lime juice
• Instead of Lemon jam: Lemon jelly
• Instead of Small meringues: Homemade meringues

Equipment Needed

• Microwave
• Medium mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Electric mixer (or hand whisk)
• Sieve
• 1 L saucepan
• Cooking thermometer (optional)
• 15 cm pastry ring
• 20 cm loaf pan
• Fan‑forced oven
• Cooling rack
• Kitchen brush
• Piping bag
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Syrup container

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Flavor the sugar with the zest
• Incorporate agar‑agar without lumps
• Bake the cake to the proper doneness
• Soak the cake with the hot syrup

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use unprocessed zest for a purer aroma
• For an ultra‑moist texture, let the batter rest in the fridge overnight
• Decorate the cake just before serving so the meringues stay crunchy.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the cake in an airtight box for 4‑5 days.

Freezer: Can be frozen for 1‑2 months, wrapped in plastic film then placed in a freezer bag.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours after removing from the refrigerator if not covered.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the citrus jelly the day before and keep it refrigerated
• The syrup can be made 24 h ahead and reheated before use
• The batter can be prepared the day before and kept refrigerated for 8 h before baking.