Description
A classic Italian cake for Easter filled with luscious, yet light lemon flavor!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sponge
- 1/2 cup warm milk, 105 -115 degrees F
- 1 envelope (2-1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast, divided
- 3/4 cup flour
Dough
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fiori di sicilia or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 orange or lemon
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup dried fruit (combination of dark and golden raisins and candied orange
- peel)
Limoncello Icing
- 2 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- 1 – 2 teaspoons Limoncello
- 1 – 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Heavy whipping cream added until desired consistency takes place
Garnish
- Sprinkled powdered sugar
- Sliced lemons
Instructions
To make the sponge
- In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of yeast into the warm milk.
- Stir the yeast into the milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes to dissolve.
- Stir in the 3/4 cup flour to form a smooth paste.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let set for 12 hours or overnight, unrefrigerated.
To make the dough
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and yolk together.
- Beat in the sugar, remaining yeast, salt, and extract.
- Add the sponge and softened butter; beat to combine.
- Add 2 cups of flour and beat just enough to blend in the flour.
- If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook.
- Otherwise, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
- By hand you will knead for about 10 minutes.
- If you are using a dough hook, knead about 5 minutes.
- Add the dried fruit and knead just enough to incorporate.
- Place the dough in a large buttered bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel.
- Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal size pieces.
- Form each piece into a log about 12-inches long.
- Place the first piece into the dove mold in what would be the wings of the dove.
- The log goes across the body and around the edges of the wings.
- The second piece is placed from head to tail on top of the first piece.
- Pat the dough down around the edges of the mold to fill in any gaps.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
- Place the mold on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 F degree bake for another 20 – 30 minutes.
- If the top begins to get too brown, cover the bread with a piece of foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
For the Limoncello icing
- After the cake is baked, prepare the icing by blending all of the ingredients together, adding the whipped cream little by little until you achieve your desired consistency level.
- Pour the icing over the cake and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Garnish with sliced lemons.