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Photograph of Light Lemon Fruitcake with Almonds and Vanilla Mascarpone Icing

Light Lemon Fruitcake with Almonds and Vanilla Mascarpone Icing

A delicious lightly spiced, moist lemon cake dotted with dried fruit. The icing on the cake, quite literally, is a luscious, creamy mascarpone frosting. Makes 9, 12 or 16

Course afternoon tea, Morning Coffee, Snack, treat
Keyword Almonds, lemon, mascarpone frosting, mincemeat
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

For the Light Lemon Fruitcake with Almonds cake:

  • 130g unsalted butter
  • 130g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 130g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 50g ground almonds
  • grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 200g mincemeat

Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting:

  • 75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon plus a pinch of fine salt 
  • 75g mascarpone cheese
  • 200g icing sugar 
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4

  3. Make the cake: line the baking tin with baking parchment

  4. Measure all the ingredients, apart from the mincemeat, into the mixing bowl. I place my mixing bowl on top my scales and weigh everything in directly.

  5. Use an electric whisk to beat until combined. This should take less than a minute.

  6. Add the mincemeat and fold in – do not over mix at this stage.

  7. Tip into your lined baking tin and level the surface, ensuring the cake goes into all the corners.

  8. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes until cooked.

  9. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then, using the greaseproof paper over-hang, transfer to a cooling rack.

  10. Make the Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting: when the cake has cooled completely, make the frosting.

  11. Put the butter into the bowl of your electric whisk and beat until light and fluffy.

  12. Add half the icing sugar, fold in and then beat well.

  13. Add the remaining icing sugar with the milk and vanilla extract, fold in and whisk until light and fluffy.

  14. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat again.

  15. Taste and adjust seasoning adding more vanilla and/or salt if necessary.

  16. Frost the cake and cut into squares: scrape the frosting onto the cake.

  17. Spread evenly over the surface and make a swirly pattern with a knife or spoon.

  18. Slice into 9, 12 or 16 cake bars.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • mixing bowl
  • electric whisk
  • 20cm/8inch square tin lined with baking parchment
  • cooling rack

Room Temperature Butter:

It is important to make sure the butter is at room temperature and soft enough to beat easily with the other ingredients.

Icing Sugar:

I always fold the icing sugar in with a spoon before whisking – this will help to stop the icing sugar clouding up and making a mess of your kitchen!