High Altitude Limoncello Cream Cake

This high altitude limoncello cake is made with a tender vanilla cake that’s brushed with limoncello and filled with lemon curd. The cake is frosted with lightly sweetened cream cheese whipped cream for a light, lemony and refreshing dessert for summer.

You might also love this from scratch lemon lush dessert, no churn lemon poppy seed ice cream, and lemon crumb bars.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Light and Not Too Sweet. If you like a lighter cake that isn’t frosted with buttercream, you’ll love the fluffy whipped cream frosting on this limoncello cake. It’s creamy and just sweet enough.

Smaller Size. Today’s cake is a two layer 6-inch cake that serves 8 people. For a larger, standard sized 8-inch cake that serves 16 people, simply double the recipe.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Vanilla Cake. My favorite vanilla cake recipe is the perfect cake for today’s limoncello cake. It’s soft, fluffy and moist, and simply delicious with the limoncello, lemon curd and whipped cream.
• Limoncello. The limoncello, or lemon liqueur, is brushed over the baked cake, adding flavor and moisture.
• Lemon Curd. The perfect filling for today’s cake.
• Cream Cheese. Adds a little body to the whipped cream and helps to stabilize it, so it doesn’t deflate on the leftover cake. I recommend full fat block style cream cheese, not light cream cheese. You can also use mascarpone cheese.
• Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and stabilizes the whipped cream.
• Vanilla Bean Paste. Adds rich vanilla flavor and pretty black specks to the whipped cream.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. You need the high fat content of heavy whipping cream for thick, fluffy whipped cream that doesn’t deflate.

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottoms of two 6-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray.
• Prepare 1/2 the recipe for Vanilla Cake batter as instructed. Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake the cakes for about 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Set the pans on a cooling rack and cool the cakes completely before filling and frosting.

Filling

• Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. If necessary, slice a small portion of the domed top off the cakes to level them.
• Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate. Brush half the limoncello onto the cake, letting it soak in. Spread the lemon curd on top of the cake.
• Place the second cake layer on top of the lemon curd, and brush the remaining limoncello onto the cake.

Whipped Cream

• In a bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese or mascarpone cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Stream in the cold heavy whipping cream and beat on medium speed until soft, thick, fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
• Frost the cake all over with the whipped cream, and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Keep the leftover cake refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of limoncello for an alcohol free cake?

Instead of limoncello, you can brush the cake with lemon simple syrup.

Does this cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, with the whipped cream frosting, you’ll need to refrigerate your cake. You can let it sit out for a bit before serving.

You Might Also Like

Favorite Products

Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!