Torta Caprese al Limone
Torta Caprese al Limone is a tender, flourless almond cake with a moist crumb, fragrant lemon zest, and a delicate crust. Rich with butter and eggs yet freshened by citrus, it is elegant enough for dessert and simple enough for an afternoon coffee table.
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 120 galmond flour
- 80 gcaster sugar
- 60 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing
- 2 largeeggs, separated
- 2 tsp, finely gratedlemon zest
- 20 mllemon juice
- 4 gbaking powder
- 1 pinchfine salt
To finish
- 10 gicing sugar
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 170°C conventional (or 160°C fan). Lightly butter a 12-14 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Separating the eggs now will help the whites whip better while still cool.
- 2
In a bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt so the leavening is evenly distributed and the almond flour has no lumps.
- 3
In a second bowl, beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar for 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks paler and slightly thickened. Whisk in the melted butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and glossy.
- 4
Fold the almond flour mixture into the yolk mixture with a spatula until fully combined. The batter will be quite thick; that is normal for a flourless almond cake.
- 5
In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to medium-firm peaks. They should hold their shape but still look smooth, not dry. Fold one third into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain, preserving as much air as possible.
- 6
Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 24-28 minutes, until the cake is risen, lightly golden at the edges, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- 7
Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmould and let it rest a further 5 minutes on a rack. This short rest helps the delicate crumb set before dusting.
- 8
Dust generously with icing sugar just before serving. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Use a finely ground almond flour for the most tender texture; coarse ground almonds make the cake heavier.
- •Do not overwhip the egg whites or they will be harder to fold in and the cake may lose volume.
- •A small tin is important for proper height; if using a larger tin, the cake will bake faster and be flatter.
- •Excellent with espresso, lightly whipped cream, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
Background
Torta Caprese originated on the island of Capri and is traditionally a flourless almond and chocolate cake. This lemon version, popular in southern Italy, especially around Campania, keeps the same rich almond structure while replacing cocoa with bright citrus for a lighter coastal character.
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