The dad’s cake is a delicious and very simple dessert, perfect for breakfast, or to prepare for Father’s Day, instead of the traditional zeppole di San Giuseppe. A really simple recipe, inspired by my pistachio Nua cake.
For this recipe, I replaced the pistachio cream with custard and decorated with cherry topping. True, zeppole have syruped cherries, but this time I struggled to find them. The ingredients are therefore very simple: eggs, flour, sugar, and baking powder. This Father’s Day dessert is also butter-free. I opted to use seed oil, which still makes this cake soft.
Once the cake batter is poured into the pan, I decorated the surface with custard, setting some aside for the final decoration. Of course, it’s optional, and if you are true gourmets, you can add all the cream on the surface before baking. This Father’s Day cake is a real treat and I guarantee it will win over the taste buds of both adults and children. Curious to find out how to prepare it? Then read the recipe, because the dad’s cake will be ready in a click! Oh, and many best wishes to all the dads!
If you’re interested in other breakfast desserts, also read:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Father's Day, All Seasons
- Energy 454.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 76.06 (g) of which sugars 50.48 (g)
- Proteins 10.41 (g)
- Fat 14.25 (g) of which saturated 4.78 (g)of which unsaturated 9.01 (g)
- Fibers 1.04 (g)
- Sodium 29.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 145 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
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2.8 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 packet vanillin
- berry topping (or cherries to taste)
- 2 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- lemon zest (to taste)
Tools
- Mixer
- Cake Pan springform 8 inch
- Parchment Paper
- Piping Bag
- High-Sided Saucepan
- Small Pot
- Hand Whisk
- Mixing Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
Steps
First, prepare the custard. Bring the milk to a boil with the zest of an untreated, well-washed lemon. Separately, work the eggs with the sugar in a bowl with a hand whisk, and as soon as they become light, add the flour. Continue to work the mixture with the whisks until smooth and without lumps.
As soon as the milk reaches a boil, remove the lemon zest and pour the milk into the bowl, always stirring with the whisks. Put everything back in the saucepan and return to the heat. Continue cooking until the cream thickens, always stirring with the whisk to avoid lumps. It will take about 10 minutes. When the cream has thickened, it is ready. Transfer it to a clean bowl and cover it with contact plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and let it cool.
Meanwhile, while the cream cools, prepare the cake. Work the eggs with the sugar and vanillin in a bowl with the electric whisks, until they become light and frothy. Then pour in the oil in a thin stream and continue mixing with the whisks until well combined.
Next, incorporate the flour and baking powder and mix again with the electric whisks, alternating with the milk, until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Line a 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper and pour in the batter.
Put the custard into a piping bag and distribute it on the surface of the cake, forming stripes. Keep some aside, if you prefer, for the final decoration. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 50 minutes with the static function. Obviously, the cooking times are relative, and you must refer to the type of oven you have. To check if the cake is done, you can do the toothpick test, inserting it in several points of the cake; it should come out dry. If not, continue cooking for the necessary time.
After the cooking time has passed, remove the cake from the oven. Once it has cooled, remove it from the pan and slice it. Serve the cake with a dollop of leftover custard and some cherry topping.
Storage and Tips for Dad’s Cake
The Father’s Day cake can be stored in a cool, dry place for two or three days, covering it with a glass dome or aluminum foil. It’s better to store leftover cream in the refrigerator.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Dad’s Cake
What is the best flour for making desserts?
You can use all-purpose flour: it is the whitest and finest flour as it’s obtained from the core of the wheat grain. It is ideal for preparing cakes, cookies, and baked desserts, but also fresh pasta and béchamel. Alternatively, you can use type 0 flour.
What can I use instead of a piping bag?
You can make a piping bag using a sheet of parchment paper folded into a cone shape. Once the cone is formed, cut the tip with scissors according to the thickness you want to achieve.
