Lemon Torta Caprese is an Italian cake, very soft and with an intense lemon flavor. 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, the famous Torta Caprese.
This delicious dessert is made with white chocolate, almond flour (or chopped whole almonds) and lemons. I 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 cake with white chocolate and lemons 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.
Follow this recipe along with all the helpful step-by-step tips and believe me when I tell you that you will make a moist, fragrant and delicious Lemon Caprese Cake just like the ones in Italian pastry shops!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 15 Min
- Cook Time: 50 Min
- Servings: 8
Doses for a 10 inch ( 26 cm) round baking pan
- 200 g (7 oz) of blanched whole almonds or almond flour
- 150 g (¾ cup) of granulated sugar
- 150 g (1 ⅓ stick) of unsalted butter
- 200 g (7 oz) of white chocolate
- lemon zest from 3 organic lemons, medium size
- lemon juice from 2 lemons, medium size (~80 ml - ⅓ cup)
- 5 whole medium eggs
- powdered sugar for decoration
Instructions
The Dough
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's 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!
The Baking
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.
Bake in a preheated, ventilated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 5 minutes without opening the oven. Then reduce the heat to 165°C (330°F) and let your Lemon Caprese bake for about 45 minutes more.
At the end of the baking time, always do the toothpick test! The Lemon Caprese should be moist, soft and truffled inside, but not soggy or runny!
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. At this point you can remove it from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter or cake rack and let it cool.
Lemon Torta Caprese is even better if eaten the next day sprinkled with icing sugar!
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Sicilian Almond Cookies
- Sicilian Orange Cake (Pan d’Arancio)
- Lemon Almond Cake (Dolce di Amalfi)
- Easy Lemon Cake
- Crostata di Mandorle - Italian Almond Tart
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.
Variations
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.
- NO 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.
- 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.
Recipe Card
Italian Lemon Torta Caprese Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g almonds 7 oz, blanched and whole or almond flour
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
- 150 g unsalted butter 1 ⅓ stick
- 200 g white chocolate 7 oz
- 3 lemons zest, organic
- 2 lemon juice 80 ml (⅓ cup)
- 5 eggs whole and medium size
- powdered sugar for decoration
Instructions
- WITH WHOLE ALMONDS: 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.
- WITH ALMOND FLOUR: 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake in a preheated, ventilated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 5 minutes without opening the oven. Then reduce the heat to 165°C (330°F) and let your Lemon Caprese bake for about 45 minutes more.
- At the end of the baking time, always do the toothpick test! The Lemon Caprese should be moist, soft and truffled inside, but not soggy or runny!
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. At this point you can remove it from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter or cake rack and let it cool.
- Lemon Torta Caprese is even better if eaten the next day sprinkled with icing sugar!
Kerry Boytell says
Would like to make. But is the oven temperature conventional or fan forced?
Barbara Felicità Lucchini says
Hi Kerry,
Thank you for your comment! I have explained more about baking in step 4. However, the oven is ventilated.
Dianne says
I am enjoying your website and would like to try this recipe but please add a measurement for the lemon juice!
SK says
Is it possible to omit the white “chocolate”? Neither of us like it. Maybe the lemon will cancel out the white chocolate flavor? Thanks.
Barbara says
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.
Scott says
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.
Pam says
I would love to make this. Is it ok to freeze?
Chere' Blake says
Wonderful recipes! Is there a cookbook for sale?
Barbara says
Not yet! But it's a work in progress. Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll let you know as soon as it's ready! ;-D