Homemade limoncello bundt cake is the ultimate seasonal spring dessert. Great for brunch, parties, and showers.
When life gives you limoncello, make a bundt cake. That’s how the saying goes, right?
Well, that’s definitely how it goes here in Betsylife.
A while back we watched a friend’s dog while she traveled through Italy. She repaid us by bringing back some limoncello (good friend!) I promptly turned it into the cutest shaped cake in town, and washed the cake down with the rest of the bottle.
Yup, that’s how I roll.
Update: I originally wrote this post in 2013 when I was living in San Diego. Since moving to Oakland to a house with its very own lemon tree in the backyard, I’ve taken to making my own limoncello.
Homemade limoncello
To make your own limoncello;
- Peel the rind from 15 lemons being careful not to remove any pith (the white part under the rind).
- Add rind to a large glass jar and cover with and entire 750ml bottle of 100 proof vodka. Let sit at room temperature for 10-40 days.
- Heat 4 cups of sugar and 5 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until thickened, about 7 minutes. Cool.
- Strain vodka mixture. Mix in sugar mixture. Allow to rest for another 10-40 days.
I always saw overflowing lemon trees in people’s yards and thought “why aren’t they using all those lemons?!” Well, I apologize for passing judgement. Now that I have my own lemon tree, I’m BURIED in lemons for months on end.
This limoncello used up a big chunk of them. I divided it into small bottles and gave them away as gifts or favors when people came to my house.
But, of course I kept some for myself. Enter the remake of a Betsylife classic. Limoncello cake.
You really can’t go wrong with baking and booze, whether you’re mixing them in the batter, or just mixing them in your stomach.
Is that another “saying” in the making? Perhaps…….. Maybe I should just stick with cake baking.
Limoncello cake recipe
I don’t drink a lot of hard alcohol (I’m more of a wine gal), so when I do have some on hand, I automatically start thinking about what I can cook with it.
Tip: you can almost always make some sort of ice cream, cookie or cake.
This limoncello cake is a tasty dessert but also makes an excellent brunch dish. With so many great brunch occasions coming up (mother’s day, graduations, wedding showers, etc) I definitely think you should keep this cake in mind. Now
I’m on to figuring out how to make limoncello ice cream.
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see it! Tag me @betsylife on Facebook or Instagram and I’ll share your creations!
Limoncello Bundt Cake
Limoncello Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup limoncello
- 5 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup milk
- zest of 2 lemons
For the glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons limoncello
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees
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In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
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Beat in the 1/3 cup limoncello until well blended.
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Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with flour mixture.
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Beat in lemon zest
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Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt cake pan.
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Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched with a finger.
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Cool for 10 minutes in the pan; invert and cool completely on a rack.
For the Glaze
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Whisk confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons limoncello until smooth; drizzle over the cake.
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coralee says
this was DELICIOUS! I juiced both of the lemons that I zested and used that with a bit of almond milk topped up to make the 2/3 cup liquid so it was so lemony 🙂
YUM YUM YUM!!
kim says
I LOVE THIS!!! I am going to try this weekend…and actually, I have A TON of lemons and since this last trip I learned how to make limoncello I’m gonna give it a shot…if it works out, maybe I could work a little deal with you…homemade limoncello for lily-sitting 🙂
M richardson says
i did this yesterday, the recipe worked, however, the cakes taste a bit bland, it needs some lemon juice both in sponge mixture and glaze.
Nicole says
The texture is decent, but I found the flavor very lacking. If it didn’t have the glaze, you could barely tell that there was any lemon in the cake. And my limoncello has a very strong lemon flavor, so I was surprised at how little came through in the cake.