Post Updated: 08 April 2021
Made with limoncello, lemon and mascarpone, these Limoncello Cupcakes with Mascarpone Lemon Frosting are a citrus heaven!
When life gives you lemons (and some limoncello), bake these heavenly limoncello cupcakes and frost them with some fluffy mascarpone lemon frosting! Baking and cooking with lemons reminds me that summer is quickly approaching.
I find lemons extremely refreshing during this time of the year. They are very versatile and the citrus taste is just wonderful. This cupcake has the perfect light fluffy sponge with a dash of limoncello. The lemon mascarpone frosting is absolutely amazing! It's rich, fluffy, creamy, and full of taste. It's very simple to make as well, and provides a twist to the more traditional buttercream frosting.
These cupcakes are topped with mascarpone frosting. Although mascarpone is a type of cheese, its flavour is not overpowering, which is great to bring out the citrus taste of the frosting and cupcakes. This recipe yields 12 cupcakes, it's really easy to do, and I promise you it's worth the (slight) mess!
Baking with Limoncello
Limoncello is a Southern Italian lemon-flavored liquor made using lemon zest, water, sugar, and alcohol. Its flavor slightly sweet, and, of course, very citrusy. Limoncello is traditionally served as an aperitif before or after a meal to aid digestion.
Besides drinking it straight or making cocktails, limoncello also works great in desserts and sweet bakes, such as cheesecakes, cakes, and cupcakes! At 20-40% alcohol, limoncello is definitely strong; it also has a very strong lemon flavor, so you only need to use a little.
What is Mascarpone Frosting?
Mascarpone is an Italian version of spreadable cream cheese. It is made from cow's milk and can be used in a variety of ways, from sweet to savory recipes. It is typically used for traditional tiramisu and as cannoli filling, but can also be incorporated in pasta sauces, for example, such as in this Creamy Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta or in risotto.
When whisked with icing sugar, butter and/or heavy cream, mascarpone works wonders as frosting for sweet treats. It can be whipped into perfect pipeable consistency and can be easily flavored (with lemon or vanilla, for example).
Mascarpone frosting is rich, smooth, and fluffy, and there is nothing quite like it! This recipe for mascarpone frosting without butter is the best every mascarpone frosting recipe, and I promise you it's definitely one you'll be making over and over again.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Limoncello Cupcakes
For the limoncello cupcake sponge base, you will need a few basic pantry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, and butter) and limoncello liquor, lemon zest and lemon juice for flavoring.
- Addition of lemon juice and lemon zest will further enhance the citrus flavor and is completely optional, but its great if you don't mind the extra lemon!
- All-purpose flour can be substituted with cake flour. For every one and a half cup of all-purpose flour (180g), use the same amount plus 3 tablespoons of cake flour.
- You can use semi-skimmed or whole milk, whichever you prefer (or have available).
- If you prefer an alcohol-free cupcake, substitute limoncello with more lemon juice.
Ingredients for Mascarpone-Lemon Frosting
For the mascarpone-lemon frosting, you will need mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, icing (or powdered) sugar, and heavy cream.
These cupcakes can be topped with lemon zest, fresh blueberries, or mint leaves.
How to Make Limoncello Lemon Cupcakes (Step by Step & Tips)
The recipe for limoncello cupcakes is quite simple, does not require any special techniques, and the same as for any basic cupcake sponge (except that it contains limoncello and lemon instead of vanilla extract). Here's a simple step by step guide with a few important tips:
Cream butter & sugar in a stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment. Make sure to use softened butter cut into small cubes. You will need to cream butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-low speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition (approx 1 minute), until incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape any ingredients from the side of the bowl.
Add limoncello, lemon zest, and lemon juice (if using) and beat for another minute until well-combined. The batter might look slightly curdled; this is normal (it will smoothen once baked).
Fold in half of the dry ingredients alternating with half of the milk and mix using a spatula (avoid using stand mixer for this step) until just combined. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and milk. Do not overmix the batter or your cupcakes will be dense.
TIP: Sift and mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) separately in a medium sized bowl before adding them to the batter.
Divide the batter between 12 cupcake liners or silicone molds. Fill liners until ⅔ full. Bake limoncello cupcakes in the center of a preheated oven at 175°C (350 F) for 18 to 22 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cupcakes should be slightly golden brown. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.
How to Make Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Making this fluffy mascarpone frosting for cupcakes is quite straightforward and very similar to the more traditional buttercream frosting technique. The only difference is that we will be using mascarpone cheese instead of butter, and a slightly higher ratio of heavy cream than you would normally use for buttercream.
The most important things when making this simple mascarpone frosting are to:
- Carefully watch your mixture whilst whisking and avoid overmixing. If mascarpone and/or heavy cream is over-mixed, the frosting will curdle, making it unusable.
- Make sure that both mascarpone and heavy cream are the same temperature (i.e., either chilled or just out of the fridge), to avoid curdling.
Place mascarpone and lemon juice in a bowl of a stand mixer fixed with the whip attachment and whip on medium speed for a few seconds (20-30 seconds). Do not overmix or mascarpone will curdle.
Add sifted powdered (icing) sugar and heavy cream and whisk for 1-2 minutes until mixture becomes light and fluffy, and of pipeable consistency. Stiff peaks should form when you lift whisk attachment. Again, be careful not to overmix frosting.
TIP: If the mixture is not holding up/stiff enough, add more powdered sugar. Be sure to use kitchen scales to measure the exact weight of ingredients.
Place the lemon mascarpone frosting into a piping bag fitted with a frosting tip of your choice and frost the cupcakes. Make sure the cupcakes have completely cooled down before frosting, otherwise the mascarpone frosting would melt. Decorate cupcakes with lemon zest and/or blueberries as desired.
Store the Limoncello Cupcakes with Mascarpone-Lemon Frosting in a refrigerator and serve cold or at room temperature!
Does Mascarpone Frosting Need to Be Refrigerated?
Yes! Flavored mascarpone frosting needs to be refrigerated at once if not using immediately. Frosted lemon-limoncello cupcakes should also be refrigerated if not served immediately. Bring out to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Mascarpone frosting can be chilled for up to 1 week.
Making Ahead and Storing
These lemon limoncello cupcakes with lemon mascarpone frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Other Recipes to Try
Eggless Lemon Poppyseed Yogurt Muffins
No-Bake Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
Pistachio Lemon Biscotti
Limoncello Cupcakes with Mascarpone-Lemon Frosting
Ingredients
Limoncello Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups AP flour (180g) - See note
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (112g)
- 2 eggs medium-sized
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- ½ cup milk (120 mL)
- 2 tbsp. limoncello liquor
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest (optional)
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice (optional)
- ¼ tsp. salt
Lemon-Mascarpone Frosting
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese (250g)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted (310g)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream (160mL)
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Limoncello Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350 F) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift and mix AP flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar on medium-speed until pale and creamy.
- Add in the eggs, one by one, and continue mixing on medium speed. Use a spatula to scrape any ingredients from the side of the bowl. Add limoncello, lemon juice and lemon zest (if using) and mix for another minute. Mixture may look slightly clumpy but this will smoothen once baked.
- Slowly, add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk (add one part dry ingredients, and one part milk each time) and fold in using a spatula until just incorporated. Repeat for the remaining half mixtures.Do not over-mix the batter once you start adding the dry ingredients.
- Spoon the batter into muffin tin or molds until ⅔ full and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the sponge comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish off cooling before frosting.
Lemon-Mascarpone Frosting
- Place mascarpone cheese and lemon juice in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on medium-high speed until softened (20-30 seconds - do not overmix or mascarpone will curdle)
- Add sifted powdered sugar and heavy cream and whisk for 1-2 minutes until mixture becomes light and fluffy, and of pipeable consistency. Stiff peaks should form when you lift whisk attachment. Do not overmix frosting.
- Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a your preferred tip and frost the cupcakes. Make sure the cupcakes have completely cooled down before frosting.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest and add lemon wedge as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- All-purpose flour can be substituted with cake flour. For every one and a half cup of all-purpose flour (180g), use the same amount plus 3 tablespoons of cake flour.
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