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Margherita cake

It is the most popular cake named after the queen Margherita of Savoy.

  • Time

    1 hour and 5 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Course

    Desserts and Fruits

  • Italian Region

    Campania

Ingredients

Servings 6

  • 5 oz sugar
  • 5 oz butter
  • 4 ½ oz potato starch
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 egg whites
  • 2 half cups Cognac liqueur

Preparation

25 minutes preparation + 40 minutes cooking

Whisk the butter and sugar into a bowl until fluffy. Gently fold in the egg yolks one by one; add also the lemon zest, the potato starch and the liqueur.

Then gently fold in the egg whites whisked to firm peaks. Poor the mixture into a buttered oven tin and bake in a medium oven for about 35 – 40 minutes; once cooked, remove the cake from the tin and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Step 1

Begin by amalgamating the butter and the sugar in a receptacle until soft.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 1

Torta Mergherita - Passaggio 1

Step 2

When the mixture is homogeneous, carefully fold in the egg yolks one by one.
Keep the egg whites aside.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 2

Step 3

Then add the lemon rind, the starch and the liqueur.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 3

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 3

Step 4

Separately, in a receptacle, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 4

Step 5

Blend the whipped egg whites into the rest of the mixture and mix well.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 5

Step 6

Butter and flour an oven pan of about 10.4 inches in diameter.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 6

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 6

Step 7

Put in the oven for about 35-40 minutes at a temperature of 340-350°F.
Once it is ready, leave to cool and remove from the mold with the aid of a knife.
Decorate with powdered sugar.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 7

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 7

Food history

It is the most popular cake named after the queen, even though many other cakes and desserts were dedicated to her, sometimes being modified versions of traditional recipes (for instance in the case of the Siena Panforte or the Stresa “Margheritine”) and sometimes being original creations.