Lemon Torta Caprese is an Italian sweet cake, very soft and with an intense lemon flavor. It’s the variant of the famous Torta Caprese made with dark chocolate.
In Italy it’s often called Torta Caprese Bianca (White Caprese Cake) so as not to confuse it with the traditional variant made with dark chocolate.
Lemon Torta Caprese, in this case, is made with white chocolate, almond flour and lemons. We recommend that lemons are organic and untreated, as you will have to use their zest.
Torta Caprese is a cake without flour and therefore gluten free. It was born in the early 1900s by mistake of a pastry chef from the Isle of Capri. It was a resounding success for its very soft and very tasty texture.
This Torta Caprese with white chocolate and lemon is a cake that is even better if eaten the next day, which is definitely a bonus because you can make it ahead of time. Sprinkle it with icing sugar just before serving.
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Lemon Torta Caprese Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 Min
- Cook Time: 45 Min
- Yelds: 8
Ingredients
Doses for a 10 inch ( 26 cm) round baking pan
- 200 g (7 oz) of peeled almonds or almond flour
- 150 g (5,3 oz) of granulated sugar
- 150 g (5,3 oz) of unsalted butter
- 200 g (7 oz) of white chocolate
- lemon zest from 3 untreated lemons
- lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 5 whole medium eggs
- icing sugar for decoration
Directions
Step 1) – If you are using peeled almonds to make Lemon Caprese Cake, then put them in a food processor and finely chop them at maximum speed for a few minutes.
Then add the white chocolate in pieces. If, on the other hand, you have opted for almond flour, then pour it into the food processor and add the white chocolate in pieces.
Now finely chop the chocolate with almond flour. Finally add the sugar and mix, always with the food processor, to combine.
Step 2) – Now add the butter cut into pieces. It does not need to be at room temperature. You can use it fresh from the refrigerator.
Mix the butter with the mixture of white chocolate, sugar and almond flour with the food processor for a few minutes at maximum speed. In this way you get a rather thick creamy mixture.
Transfer it to a bowl. Now add the eggs. You need to add 1 whole egg at a time and mix well to incorporate it into the mixture before adding another.
Step 3) – Now add the lemon juice obtained from squeezing 2 lemons. Mix well to combine. Finally add the lemon zest obtained from 3 untreated lemons amd mix.
It is important to use untreated organic lemons. And if you can find some lemons with the sprig and leaves still attached, even better! They are even tastier and more fragrant because they can keep all their flavor!
Step 4) – The mixture for Lemon Torta Caprese is ready. Now take a 10 inch (26 cm) round baking pan (for about 8 people). If it’s non-stick and has a removable bottom, the better, so you don’t have to use baking paper. If not, place a sheet of parchment paper on your round baking pan and pour the mixture. Level it with a spoon.
Then bake it in a preheated oven at 180° (350F) for about 45 minutes. If you see that the cake is becoming too dark on top and may burn, turn off the oven but leave it inside until the time runs out.
Once ready, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool before serving. Lemon Torta Caprese is even better if eaten the next day sprinkled with icing sugar.
Lemon Torta Caprese: Storage
You can keep Lemon Torta Caprese at room temperature, in a cool place, preferably on a cake plate server with dome, for 3-4 days.
It’s possible to freeze the cake, preferably without icing sugar; to make it easier you can already cut it into portions.
Untreated Organic Lemons for a More Intense Aroma
Choosing the right lemons means guaranteeing yourself a fragrant lemon torta caprese, as made in a pastry shop.
So choose untreated organic lemons. Possibly they should still have twig and leaves attached. The lemons with branches are always fresh and retain all their fragrance.
If you can’t find them, make sure they are at least untreated, as you’ll have to use their grated peel.
Lemon Torta Caprese. Some Variants.
Like any classic recipe of Italian cuisine, there are many variations of Lemon Torta Caprese. What we have shown you is the authentic Italian recipe of Caprese Cake with White Chocolate and lemon.
But let’s see together what other alternatives we can have.
Without Butter
For an even softer cake or for those who do not want to use butter, you can replace the butter with 100 ml of extra virgin olive oil.
With Candied Lemon Peel
In southern Italy, many add 30 g (1 oz) of candied lemon peel to the mixture.
You can buy candied peel from your trusted pastry shop.
Or you can make candied lemon peel at home. so follow this recipe: cut the peels of 1 lemon into strips. Cook them in a saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes, with 2 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Once the water has evaporated, the peels are ready. Let them cool and finally chop them very finely with a knife.
Is it possible to omit the white “chocolate”? Neither of us like it. Maybe the lemon will cancel out the white chocolate flavor? Thanks.
Lemon Torta Caprese in Italy is also called Torta Caprese Bianca (White) and is made with white chocolate. This is not just a lemon cake. It’s the authentic Italian recipe for Torta Caprese Bianca and, as you may have guessed, white chocolate is not to be omitted. Try the Lemon Almond Cake ( Dolce di Amalfi) another delicious traditional Italian cake. Without white chocolate.
For what it is worth, I made this last night using about half the white chocolate to try and lessen the fat and sugar in the torta and it seems to have turned out fine. If the texture is supposed to be soft and creamy, at least! It’s good.
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