Lemon Loaf Cake, a delicious dessert perfect for any occasion, whether you’re hosting a weekend brunch or simply craving a sweet companion for your afternoon tea.
This Lemon Mascarpone Loaf is consistently soft, moist and easy to make. While most lemon cakes can lean toward being dry, the addition of mascarpone cheese ensures a rich, velvety texture that lasts for days.
This Lemon Loaf Cake is a simple, high-quality bake with a tender crumb and a bright citrus profile. The mascarpone cheese is the key ingredient, providing a moist consistency that traditional butter cakes often lack. If you prefer a lighter or higher-protein version, Greek yogurt works as an excellent 1:1 substitute.
Easy to make and even better the next day. The ultimate Italian plumcake for your morning coffee or afternoon snack.
It is an ideal breakfast option when paired with green tea and almonds, or a balanced afternoon snack alongside a hot herbal infusion.
Let’s see how to make Lemon Loaf Cake recipe! So let’s get started.
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Ingredients
Those proportions are spot on for a standard 22–24 cm loaf pan.
Tools
Steps
Lemon Loaf Cake recipe is really easy to make.
First, preheat oven to 356°F (180° C).
Start by beating the whole eggs, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer. You’re looking for a creamy, airy consistency,
this usually takes about 3–5 minutes.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the mascarpone (or Greek yogurt), mixing just until the batter is smooth and combined.
Tip: Adding the cheese in stages ensures a silky consistency without deflating the eggs.
Add the lemon zest and juice to the mixture. While continuing to stir on low speed, slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, potato starch and baking powder. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the batter, adding a little at a time until just incorporated.
When adding the dry ingredients, stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of flour. Over-mixing at this stage can lead to a tough, gummy loaf.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a bottom-to-top motion. Be careful not to deflate the batter; continue until you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture without any visible streaks of flour.
Grease and flour a 10-inch (25 cm) loaf pan, then gently pour the batter into it, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 35 to 40 minutes. In my oven, 38 minutes is the sweet spot
Since oven temperatures can vary, begin checking for doneness at the 35-minute mark. To test, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs, the cake is done. If the toothpick is wet or sticky, bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes and test again.
Avoid opening the oven door too early (before 30 minutes), as the sudden drop in temperature can cause the center of the loaf to sink.
Allow the lemon loaf cake to cool completely in the pan. Once it reaches room temperature, dust the top with powdered sugar to highlight the golden crust.
Buon appetito!
Enjoy!
Storage
You can store Lemon Loaf Cake in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days, at room temperature.
If your kitchen is very warm, or if you want the cake to last up to 5–7 days, store it in the fridge.
This loaf freezes beautifully because of the fat content in the mascarpone and oil. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
Tips & Tricks
– In this recipe I used mascarpone, but if you’re having trouble finding it, you can use Greek yogurt or cream cheese instead . The cake will be slightly more sour, but still moist and delicious.
– For the mascarpone to blend seamlessly into the batter without clumping, it must be at room temperature. If it is too cold, it won’t emulsify properly with the eggs and sugar, which can lead to a dense or uneven texture.
– For whipping the eggs and sugar until they are light and fluffy use an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes. Incorporating air at this stage is what gives the loaf its height and lightness, especially since mascarpone is a heavy ingredient.
– When adding the peanut oil, do it “a filo” (in a thin, steady stream) while continuing to whisk. This creates an emulsion similar to making mayonnaise, resulting in a silkier batter and a more moist final crumb.
– The 20g of potato starch is the secret here. It breaks up the gluten in the flour, which—combined with the mascarpone—results in a crumb that is significantly softer than a standard pound cake. If you don’t have potato starch, you can substitute it with cornstarch (Maizena).
– This cake is actually better on day two. The moisture from the mascarpone and the oils from the lemon zest need time to settle and infuse the sponge. Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container to maintain that umida (moist) consistency.
– If you want you can drizzle a lemon glaze over it.
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Varied doses for servings
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When do you add the lemon juice? Or is it just in case you want to make a glaze?
Cake sound yummy, I am going to try it soon.
Thank you so much Vera. I forgot to write it in the recipe. I added the lemon juice together with the lemon zest. If you make it let me know if you liked it.
Thank you 🙂