Carrot and Limoncello Cake

The carrot and limoncello cake is a delicious variation of the classic carrot cake with an Italian twist thanks to the addition of limoncello, a sweet and fragrant liqueur made from lemon peels. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 g of almond flour
• 200 g of sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g of grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
• 75 ml of seed oil (or coconut oil)
• 60 ml of limoncello
• The grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a baking pan with parchment paper or grease and flour it.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture.
3. Gradually add the seed oil, continuing to mix.
4. Incorporate the almond flour, grated lemon zest, and limoncello. Mix well until you have a homogeneous batter.
5. Add the grated carrots, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, stirring gently with a spatula.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface with a spatula.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

Fun Fact

Limoncello is a typical liqueur of Southern Italy, especially from the Campania region. It is said that the origin of limoncello lies in Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast at the beginning of the 20th century. Although it is commonly served cold as a digestive after meals, its citrus aroma and sweetness make it an excellent pastry ingredient, capable of adding a fresh and aromatic touch to desserts.

If you don’t have limoncello, you could replace it with the same amount of fresh lemon juice, considering, however, to add a bit of extra sugar if necessary to balance the acidity. The carrot and limoncello cake is great served on its own or accompanied by a dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.