This decadent naked chocolate and lemon cake is showing off all its delicious layers.
I have mixed emotions about Valentine’s Day. It’s a good excuse to gang up on your loved one with all the cheesy and mushy stuff because they can’t object. It’s a great reminder for us older folks that romance isn't, and shouldn't be, dead.
On the other hand, I feel it’s forced. I thought I’ll throw it out there in case you care about my opinion. You don’t? Oh well.
Since my husband chose Valentine’s Day to propose (I told you it’s a good day to get mushy and a bad day to object) we really can't ignore it. I find flowers, teddy bears, and chocolate in heart-shaped boxes kitschy and overrated. I know that my husband thinks something naked is much more romantic than those items and since I am the kind of wife that caters to my husband’s wishes I will give him a naked…wait for it….cake.
Not just any cake but a cake with his favorite flavors – chocolate and lemon. No, I will not serve it naked mainly because he might lose his appetite. 🤣
I have a good recipe for a chocolate cake that is moist (apparently moist is a bad word, who knew) and not too sweet and another recipe for a white chocolate filling that I haven't tried before. That was a mistake and it took me two days to fix the filling to my liking.
I really hope that if and when you try any of my recipes and it doesn't turn out well you will be kind enough to let me know. We all make mistakes and typos happen but for the love of food let us know we screwed up. I always read recipe reviews looking for tips and suggestions that have not been updated in the original recipe and this one for the filling had nothing but praises.
Since the filling was still a bit on the softer side and since the cake is for Valentine’s Day I skipped frosting the entire cake and left it naked. I kind of like the naked look – what you see is what you get.
Chocolate Lemon Naked Cake
Ingredients:
For 6 or 8-inch cake pan
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 stick Butter
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Apricot Jam
- 1 cup Greek-style plain Yogurt
Lemon Filling:
- 1 bag (12- oz.) white Chocolate Chips
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
- Juice and zest of ½ Lemon
Directions:
Chocolate Cake:
- Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan using a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom and baking spray on the sides. I used a 6-inch pan (not a springform) and I also sprayed the parchment paper to ensure the cake comes out in one piece.
- In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add eggs and mix on medium speed until combined and smooth. Alternating and ⅓ at the time mix in dry ingredients, yogurt, and jam.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and finish cooling on cooling rack. Once the cake has cooled, use the serrated knife to cut off the cake dome, then cut the cake in two, or three if you baked it in 6-inch pan, even layers.
Lemon Filling:
- In a small saucepan bring heavy cream to boil over medium-low. Remove pan from heat and add white chocolate chips. Whisk until mixture is smooth, and then cool to room temperature. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and Mascarpone cheese. If the mixture is too stiff add heavy cream, one tablespoon at the time. Cover bowl with clear wrap and refrigerate for two hours or until set.
- Spread the lemon filling over each cake layer. For a naked look, do not frost the entire cake. I placed a dark chocolate covered cherry on the top of my cake but you can decorate as you desire. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week. Remove cake from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before serving.
What special treat are you making for Valentine's Day?
Chocolate Lemon Naked Cake
Ingredients
- For 6 or 8-inch cake pan
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 stick Butter
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Apricot Jam
- 1 cup Greek-style plain Yogurt
Lemon Filling:
- 1 bag 12- oz. white Chocolate Chips
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
- Juice and zest of ½ Lemon
Instructions
Chocolate Cake:
- Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan using a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom and baking spray on the sides. I used a 6-inch pan (not a springform) and I also sprayed the parchment paper to ensure the cake comes out in one piece.
- In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients and set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add eggs and mix on medium speed until combined and smooth. Alternating and ⅓ at the time mix in dry ingredients, yogurt and jam.
- Pour batter into cake pan and bake on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and finish cooling on cooling rack.
- Once the cake has cooled, use the serrated knife to cut off the cake dome, then cut the cake in two, or three if you baked it in 6-inch pan, even layers.
Lemon Filling:
- In a small saucepan bring heavy cream to boil over medium-low. Remove pan from heat and add white chocolate chips. Whisk until mixture is smooth, and then cool to room temperature. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and Mascarpone cheese. If the mixture is too stiff add heavy cream, one tablespoon at the time. Cover bowl with clear wrap and refrigerate for two hours or until set.
- Spread the lemon filling over each cake layer. For saucepan look, do not frost the entire cake. I placed a dark-chocolate-covered cherry on the top of my cake but you can decorate as you desire. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week. Remove cake from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was featured at Talented Tuesday & What'd You Do This Weekend.
This looks yummy! Just one quick question. Do you think it could be made without the cocoa? My husband is not a huge fan of chocolate cakes, but the other flavors sound great!
yes Rachel, you can make leave out cocoa, but add some vanilla for flavor! 🙂
Your photos are just stunning! Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. Hope to see you again this week.
Aw, thanks Sherry! Thank means a lot to me, you made my day. Hugs 😀
This naked cake looks so delicious! The lemon filling sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend? 🙂
Thank you Joy 🙂
Visiting from Show Me Saturday Link party. I'm very eager to try lemon and ginger together, this cake is making me want to try it all the sooner. I would love for you to stop by and share this and other recipes with us over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Have a great day!
Hi Laura, lemon and ginger....mmmm....interesting! Thanks for the invite, I'll be glad to visit!
The title of the blog got my attention. it sounds like a really good flavor combo. I've never tried these together before.
Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend,
Have a "super" weekend,
Linda
I'm expanding my horizons when it comes to pairing chocolate with other flavors. So far I'm liking orange, lemon and salt and I think I'll try rosemary next. Thanks for visiting Linda!
oh this looks sooo good, pinning
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for visiting Christine!
Holy Bagoley. I could do this. Fully clothed, even.
Lol, Eli! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
This looks so amazing! Found you via What’d You Do This Weekend? #1
Hi Suzie, thanks and thanks for stopping by!