The Margherita cake is one of those cakes that’s very easy to prepare and guaranteed to succeed. It is soft, tasty, and perfect for filling.
It’s the quintessential grandma’s dessert because it was made in the past when there were few ingredients available at home.
This typical and traditional dessert has peasant origins because it’s made with raw materials that are accessible to everyone.
What makes this cake special is certainly the intense presence of lemon scent.
A soft cake is, in my opinion, an excellent alternative to the classic sponge cake.
Like the latter, it has a soft but compact texture and is also perfect for filling or being used as a base for more structured cakes.
The secret to a perfect Margherita cake recipe is to whip the eggs well and for a long time, so the mixture will absorb a lot of air.
Another tip I can give you to help you understand how to make the perfect Margherita cake is to use all the ingredients at room temperature, so no thermal shock occurs inside the dough.
Butter gives the dough significant moisture, making it soft, but if you want to remove it, you can choose to make the Margherita cake without butter: in this case, you must replace it with oil, remembering that 80 g of butter corresponds to 64 g of oil.
Despite the simplicity of this recipe, its preparation hides some pitfalls: pay attention to sifting the powders well and whipping the dough well. But a few precautions will be enough to get a cake ideal for any time of the day, from breakfast to tea time
Once baked, let it cool, and you can give the surface a nice dusting of powdered sugar.
Try dipping it in milk; it’s wonderful! Check if you have all the ingredients and hurry up to prepare it
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 262.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 37.85 (g) of which sugars 18.86 (g)
- Proteins 5.57 (g)
- Fat 10.83 (g) of which saturated 5.89 (g)of which unsaturated 4.89 (g)
- Fibers 0.29 (g)
- Sodium 91.90 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for the Margherita Cake
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.25 cups potato starch
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 8 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 lemon (grated organic zest)
- 5.5 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scales
- Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Cake Pan
- Small Saucepan
- Strainer
Steps for Margherita Cake
First, prepare a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and butter and flour the sides. Preheat the oven to 350°F in static mode.
To prepare the Margherita cake, place eggs and yolks, strictly at room temperature, in the stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and the grated zest of one lemon.
(3 whole eggs and 8 yolks at room temperature).
Immediately turn on the whisk and let it whip for about 20/25 minutes.
You should obtain a light and very frothy mixture.
At this point, gradually add the flour, potato starch, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder sifted together using a spatula or a wooden spoon.
Incorporate 1 tablespoon at a time with movements from bottom to top.
Take a part of the batter, transfer it into a bowl.
Add the melted butter.
Quickly mix with a spatula to create an emulsion. Mix until a uniform mass is obtained.
Pour the mixture back into the large bowl and mix from bottom to top.
Incorporate it very gently to prevent it from deflating.
Pour the obtained batter into the pan.
Level it well and gently.
Bake in the oven at 350°F for 40/45 minutes.
(Always do the toothpick test, avoiding pulling the cake entirely out of the oven)
At the end of cooking, let the cake cool slightly before removing it from the pan and placing it on a wire rack until it cools.
Serve it with a light dusting of powdered sugar if desired.
Enjoy your meal.
Advice
If you’re in a hurry in the morning, why not try preparing something the night before? This cake is very quick, so even if you’re tired, it won’t take up too much of your energy. I recommend it, and if you try to make it, let me know.
You can store the Margherita cake under a glass dome for a week.
Put the cake in the oven as soon as you finish preparing the batter; otherwise, the whipped batter will start to deflate.
To prevent the cake from deflating, do not open the oven before 20 minutes from the start of baking.
If you don’t want it to be rubbery, take the eggs out of the fridge about an hour before using them.
Don’t forget to sift both the flour and the potato starch before incorporating them into the batter.
Before putting the Margherita cake in the oven, level it but don’t slam it on the table; otherwise, all the air you’ve managed to incorporate will go away.
Place the cake in the center of the oven and do the toothpick test before removing it.
It keeps for 3/4 days obviously closed under a dome.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes, of course, I put the amount above.
