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Margherita cake

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

  • Time

    1 hour

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Course

    Desserts and Fruits

  • Italian Region

    Campania

Ingredients

Servings 6

  • 3 eggs
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 7 oz sugar
  • 5 oz all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ oz starch
  • vanilla to taste
  • lemon zests to taste
  • 2 oz melted butter

Preparation

30 minutes preparation + 30 minutes cooking

Fill half a pot of medium dimensions with water and place it over the stove, then place a smaller pot into the first one allowing it to float.
Let the butter melt in the second pot at bain-marie, in order for it not to burn. As soon as it’s melted set aside to cool.

In the meanwhile use a whisk, manual or electric, to whip the eggs, the egg yolks and the sugar.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 2

Once the mixture is foamy add the lemon zest and, delicately add the flour, the vanilla and the potato flour mixing with a spatula and performing an upward circular motion starting from the bottom.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 3

Fold in the butter which should be tepid, and then after briefly and delicately mixing everything together pour the mixture into a buttered and floured circular cake pan, filling it by 2/3.

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 6

Torta Margherita - Passaggio 6

Let it cook in the oven at 350 °F for more or less 30 min.
Remove from the oven and let it cool down, turn the cake pan upside down over a serving plate and garnish at pleasure with icing 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.