Delizia al Limone (Italian Lemon Delight)

Soft sponge, lemon cream, and a touch of Limoncello make Delizia al Limone the perfect dessert for anyone who loves the bright flavour of fresh lemons.

Delizie al Limone are loved across Naples and the Sorrentine Peninsula. These soft sponge cakes are filled with lemon cream, brushed with Limoncello syrup, and finished with a light lemon and whipped cream glaze.

Since I recently shared my homemade Limoncello, it seemed like the perfect moment to use it in something special. Not only can Delizie al Limone be made as one large cake, but also as small individual servings. In general, they’re a favourite at birthdays, family gatherings, and Sunday lunches.

It may look like a long recipe with several steps, but once you begin, it comes together easily. I recommend using a kitchen scale for accuracy, as precision makes a difference in this type of dessert.

Soft, creamy, sweet, and gently tangy, these little cakes bring the flavour of southern Italy to your table. The lemon filling is my favourite part. If you enjoy citrus desserts, this one will make you smile. Buon appetito!

All Things Lemon and Sweet

Delizia al Limone, which means “lemon delight”, is one of those desserts that instantly makes me think of summer holidays along the Amalfi Coast. The plural form, Delizie al Limone, fits it even better, because who could ever stop at one?

These little dome-shaped cakes are filled with a smooth lemon cream, brushed with Limoncello syrup, and covered with a glossy lemon glaze. They were first created in Campania to celebrate the region’s fragrant lemons, and over time, they’ve become a true symbol of southern Italian pastry-making. Every time I make them, the scent of fresh lemon takes me right back to Italy.

How to Make Delizia al Limone

Sponge

Step 1: Beat the egg yolks with 40 g – 1½ oz of sugar, grated lemon peel, and scraped vanilla until pale and fluffy.

Step 2: Add the almond meal and mix well.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt.

Step 4: Mix together the cornstarch and flour, then sift into the egg-yolk mixture, alternating with additions of the beaten egg whites. Fold gently so as not to deflate the mixture.

Step 5: Grease and coat with flour some semi-sphere tins and fill them ¾ full with the batter.

Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C – 340 °F for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Step 7: When ready, unmould them and place on a wire rack to cool.

Lemon Cream

Step 1: Grate the peel of the lemon and then juice it. Put the grated peel in a bowl with the lemon juice and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then add 40 g – 1½ oz lemon juice and grated peel. Keep mixing.

Step 3: Cook this mixture over low heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 80 °C – 176 °F. Remove from the heat and place the pot over a double boiler filled with cold water (this helps stop the cooking process). Blend with a stick mixer until smooth. Let cool to 50 °C – 122 °F, then add the chopped butter and continue blending until smooth.

Step 4: Cover with cling wrap (make sure it touches the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate until completely cold.

Lemon Crema Pasticcera

Step 1: In a pot, combine the milk, cream, lemon peel, and scraped vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let it infuse for 1 hour, then strain.

Step 2: Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale. Slowly add the strained milk mixture.

Step 3: Cook over medium heat until it reaches 82 °C – 180 °F, then cover with cling wrap (make sure it touches the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate until completely cold.

Limoncello Syrup

Step 1: Dissolve the sugar in the water and add the lemon peel. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain, then stir in the Limoncello.

Assembling

Step 1: Mix together the Lemon Cream and Lemon Crema Pasticcera (make sure they are both cold). Add 30 g – 1 oz Limoncello and 30 g – 1 oz sweetened whipped cream, and mix well.

Step 2: Put this cream in a piping bag and fill the sponge cakes by making a small hole at the bottom (you can use a knife to make the hole before piping in the cream). Fill them as generously as possible. Reserve the remaining cream.

Step 3: Using a toothpick, prick the sponges on all sides and brush with the Limoncello syrup.

Step 4: To the remaining cream, add 125 g – ½ cup sweetened whipped cream and 60 g – ⅓ cup milk to form a smooth, thick glaze.

Step 5: Cover the delizie with the glaze and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Step 6: When ready to serve, decorate with some whipped cream and lemon zest.

Extra Help from the Kitchen

Prepare the Moulds in Advance – Grease and flour the moulds before you start whipping the eggs. The batter needs to go straight in once it’s ready, or it will lose air and the sponge will not rise as evenly.

Cool the Syrup Fully Before Brushing – Brushing warm syrup over the cakes can make the sponge too soft. Let the syrup come back to room temperature so it soaks in evenly without tearing the surface.

Use a Piping Bag with a Small Nozzle – A narrow nozzle makes it easier to fill each sponge neatly without cracking the base. Pipe slowly to avoid creating air pockets inside the cake.

Whip the Cream Only to Soft Peaks – Stop whipping as soon as the cream thickens and holds its shape. Overwhipped cream becomes grainy and can separate when mixed with the lemon filling or glaze.

Use a Digital Thermometer – Temperature is key when cooking the creams. Heat the lemon cream to about 80°C and the crema pasticcera to around 82°C for a smooth, stable texture. A thermometer helps avoid overcooking or curdling.

Variations and Twists

Create a Large Celebration Cake Version – Bake one large sponge instead of individual domes for birthdays or special occasions. Slice it into layers, fill with lemon cream, soak each layer with Limoncello syrup, and glaze the top for an elegant presentation.

Make a Limoncello-Free Version – Replace the Limoncello syrup with a simple lemon syrup made from water, sugar, lemon peel, and juice. It keeps the same bright citrus flavour without using alcohol.

Add Lemon Zest to the Whipped Cream Glaze – Infuse the whipped cream with finely grated lemon zest before mixing it into the glaze.

Use Meyer Lemons or Other Fragrant Citrus Varieties – Swap Amalfi or Sorrento lemons for Meyer lemons or another fragrant variety to create a softer, slightly floral flavour while keeping the same process.

Assemble as a Layer Cake with Lemon Filling – Use the same sponge, creams, and syrup to create a layered version. Stack the sponges with lemon filling in between, then finish with the glaze and decoration.

Storage and Shelf Life

Store Delizie al Limone in an airtight container in the fridge to keep them fresh. They stay good for up to 3 days without losing their texture.

For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cakes in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then glaze and decorate before serving.

5 from 1 vote

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Delizia al Limone (Italian Lemon Delight)

Soft sponge, lemon cream, and a touch of Limoncello make Delizia al Limone the perfect dessert for anyone who loves the bright flavour of fresh lemons.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 9

Author: Recipe adapted from Cookaround and Chef Salvatore De Riso

Ingredients

Sponge

• 150 g – 3 large eggs – divided
• 90 g – ½ cup granulated sugar
• 40 g – 1 ½ oz. all-purpose flour
• 25 g – 8 tsp cornstarch
• 25 g – ¼ cup almond meal
• ½ lemon peel – grated
• ½ vanilla pod
• 1 pinch salt

Lemon Cream

• 40 g – 2 egg yolks
• 40 g – 1 ½ oz. sugar
• 1 or 2 lemons
• 40 g – 1 ½ oz. butter

Lemon Crema Pasticcera

• 180 g – ¾ cup milk
• 80 g + 30 g – 3 oz. + 1 oz. cream
• 80 g – 4 egg yolks
• 60 g – ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 15 g – 5 tsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 lemon
• ⅓ vanilla pod

Limoncello Syrup

• 30 g – 1 oz. water
• 30 g – 1 oz. granulated sugar
• 50 g – 1 ¾ oz. Limoncello
• ½ lemon

Glaze

• remaining lemon cream
• remaining lemon crema pasticcera
• 60 g – ⅓ cup milk
• 125 g – ½ cup cream – whipped and lightly sweetened
• 30 g – 1 oz. Limoncello

Instructions

Sponge

1. Beat the egg yolks with 40 g – 1½ oz of sugar, grated lemon peel, and scraped vanilla until pale and fluffy.
2. Add the almond meal and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt.
4. Mix together the cornstarch and flour, then sift into the egg-yolk mixture, alternating with additions of the beaten egg whites. Fold gently so as not to deflate the mixture.
5. Grease and coat with flour some semi-sphere tins and fill them ¾ full with the batter.
   
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C – 340 °F for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
7. When ready, unmould them and place on a wire rack to cool.

Lemon Cream

1. Grate the peel of the lemon and then juice it. Put the grated peel in a bowl with the lemon juice and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
2. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then add 40 g – 1½ oz lemon juice and grated peel. Keep mixing.
3. Cook this mixture over low heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches 80 °C – 176 °F. Remove from the heat and place the pot over a double boiler filled with cold water (this helps stop the cooking process). Blend with a stick mixer until smooth. Let cool to 50 °C – 122 °F, then add the chopped butter and continue blending until smooth.
   
4. Cover with cling wrap (make sure it touches the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate until completely cold.

Lemon Crema Pasticcera

1. In a pot, combine the milk, cream, lemon peel, and scraped vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let it infuse for 1 hour, then strain.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale. Slowly add the strained milk mixture.
3. Cook over medium heat until it reaches 82 °C – 180 °F, then cover with cling wrap (make sure it touches the surface so a skin doesn’t form) and refrigerate until completely cold.
   

Limoncello Syrup

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water and add the lemon peel. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain, then stir in the Limoncello.
   

Assembling

1. Mix together the Lemon Cream and Lemon Crema Pasticcera (make sure they are both cold). Add 30 g – 1 oz Limoncello and 30 g – 1 oz sweetened whipped cream, and mix well.
2. Put this cream in a piping bag and fill the sponge cakes by making a small hole at the bottom (you can use a knife to make the hole before piping in the cream). Fill them as generously as possible. Reserve the remaining cream.
3. Using a toothpick, prick the sponges on all sides and brush with the Limoncello syrup.
4. To the remaining cream, add 125 g – ½ cup sweetened whipped cream and 60 g – ⅓ cup milk to form a smooth, thick glaze.
5. Cover the delizie with the glaze and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
   
6. When ready to serve, decorate with some whipped cream and lemon zest.

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