Italian Lemon Sponge Cake

On our last day at Cape Cod, we took our final stroll along Chatham Main Street and popped into a few shops, including the a charity shop, (where I spied a gorgeous teapot, but it was obviously priced for the vacation market, at $22)... Anyways, the kids were at the whiny, 'I've not been fed for at least 2 hours stage' (I thought they were supposed to grow out of this, past two months)... but, as luck would have it, conveniently placed next door to the charity shop, was a cafe. A cafe where I tried the most delicious cake called an Italian Lemon Cream Cake...

I hadn't tried this cake before and there may be many variations of it, but to me, this tasted like a lemony Victoria Sponge, filled with mascarpone cheese... It was yummy (sorry I couldn't think of a better adjective)...

Like all good tasting things, it was probably packed with calories, but a little of what you like doesn't do you any harm... That's what my mum always told me anyway!

Anyhoo, my brothers in town, and so, I figured I would try to bake this cake in honor of his arrival!

I'm guessing Mascarpone is fattening?

I use this timer to make sure the eggs & sugar are whipped up at least 7 mins... Key to making this cake!

I didn't get the recipe for the actual cake, but I figured I would improvise, combining the recipe for a Victoria Sponge Cake, with an Italian Lemon Cream Cake recipe... So, if you want to give my version a whirl, the recipe is below... If you have the actual recipe for this, leave a comment and let me know it, or you could let me in on any of your cake recipes and I'll have a bash at baking them!

Italian Lemon Sponge Cake

For the sponge cake

75g / 1/2 Cup plain flour

150g / 1 cup self raising flour

6 eggs

220g / 1 cup fine sugar

2 tbsp boiling water

For the filling

225g / 8oz mascarpone or cream cheese

250 g / 2 cups powdered sugar

4 tsp lemon juice

Zest of half a lemon

240 ml / 1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp Vanilla Sugar (optional)

lemon curd (optional for filling)

Powdered sugar for dusting


I converted the grammes into US measures and so they are approx. I used US measures when I made the cake and it worked out great!

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Brush two deep 9 inch round cake tins with melted butter and line the bases with baking paper. Dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess flour.

2.   Sift the flours 3 times. Beat the eggs with electric beaters for 7 mins or until thick and pale.

3.   Gradually add the sugar to the eggs, beating well after each addition.

4.   Using a large metal spoon fold in the sifted flour and hot water (I always make a cup of tea here too... well if the kettles on...) 

5.   Spread the cake mixture evenly between the two tins and bake for around 25 minutes, or until the sponge is lightly golden and shrinks from the side of the tin. Leave the sponges in their tins for around 5 mins before turning out and cooling on a wire rack.

6.   To make the filling, mix the mascarpone & powdered sugar with an electric mixer. Add the lemon juice and combine and lemon zest.

7.   In a separate bowl whip the cream until soft peaks are formed, adding the vanilla sugar as mixing.

8.   Combine the cream cheese mixture with the whipping cream, stirring by hand until blended.

9.   Spread the lemon curd evenly over one of the sponges, top with the cream mixture and sandwich with the second sponge. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Because this cake has only a little fat, it’s best eaten on the day it is made. Alternatively, once cooled you can freeze it for up to one month… I personally like to just tuck in though!