Mantovana Cake by Artusi
An ancient healthy and genuine cake that evokes the scents of childhood, as my maternal grandmother often cooked with Artusi’s recipes.
A homemade dessert, ideal for breakfast or snack, it is the classic pantry cake with an unmatched ancient flavor and a soft and moist texture that melts in your mouth. Ideal to prepare on October 2nd for Grandparents’ Day.
Pellegrino Artusi is always a guarantee in the kitchen, his recipes are all delicious and fail-proof, as exemplified by the famous quote: “with this practical manual, all you need is to know how to hold a ladle“.
His Gastronomy Manual, written in 1891, is still a cornerstone of Italian cuisine, as it is remembered for being defined as: “The Science in Cooking and the Art of Eating Well“, a manual dated 1891 and translated into English, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, German, and French: here is the work that made him famous worldwide.
Artusi collected recipes from all over Italy, sometimes describing them with small personal comments and highlighting those prepared in a homemade way. This is why many recognize him for giving dignity to a vast mosaic of regional traditions, including fried foods, fillings, stews, soups, sauces, roasts, boiled dishes, ice creams, and preserves.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, All Seasons
Ingredients for the Mantovana Cake by Artusi
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use Caputo pastry flour)
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cups butter (high quality)
- 1 whole egg (at room temperature)
- 4 egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 3 1/2 oz pine nuts (or sliced almonds)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 large lemon zest grated
- 1 pinch fine salt
- as needed powdered sugar (for garnish)
Tools
- Bowl
- Mixer electric Bosch, 450 W power
- Pan springform 8 inch diameter
Steps for the Mantovana Cake by Artusi
First, beat the eggs with sugar well using electric beaters (or by hand) for about 15 minutes; then gradually add the flour, pinch of salt, grated zest of a large lemon, a tablespoon of optional vanilla extract, and continue mixing. Finally, slowly add the butter melted in a bain-marie.
Pour the mixture into a round pan with a diameter of 8 inches, greased with butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar and flour, or lined with dampened and squeezed parchment paper.
Artusi covers the surface with 50 g of sliced almonds mixed with pine nuts, but I preferred to sprinkle the cake with 3 1/2 oz of pine nuts as I prefer them.
Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 340°F and cook for about 50 minutes, using the toothpick test.
Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, then unmold and cover with powdered sugar.
Shopping Tips!!!
I worked the dough with the powerful Bosch electric mixer, with 450 W power, 5 speeds, and turbo.
I baked the cake perfectly and evenly in this springform pan of two types (Bundt and regular).
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
History and Origins of the Mantovana Cake
It is said that this recipe was given by some nuns from Mantua to Pellegrino Artusi – a Tuscan author of the first gastronomic treatise on United Italy, in short, the first real Italian recipe book.
Returning to Tuscany, Artusi decided to give it to his pastry chef friend, who had opened the still-famous Antonio Mattei pastry shop in Prato, the biscuit factory that still produces the most famous Mantovana Cake according to the recipe of Pellegrino Artusi.
