The Paradise Cake is an extremely soft and aromatic dessert typical of Lombard tradition, specifically from the city of Pavia. Butter, eggs, flour, and sugar are the ingredients that make it up; by following the recipe, you will be able to make one of the most delicious and softest cakes you have ever tasted.
Preparing it is very simple; the Paradise Cake is nothing more than a “quatre-quarts,” a dessert of French origin where all the ingredients have the same weight. Start by creaming the butter with the sugar, add the eggs, and finally the flour; a method very similar to the Pan di Spagna although the texture is completely different.
Its simplicity makes it perfect for children’s breakfast or snack, but it is also a fantastic base for filling. Personally, I love it with custard and berries, or with Chantilly cream and strawberry sauce.
The ingredients, as mentioned before, are few and easy to find; we usually have them all in our pantry, so all that’s left is to start baking.
Try the other basic recipes:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 475.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 54.38 (g) of which sugars 31.75 (g)
- Proteins 5.60 (g)
- Fat 27.07 (g) of which saturated 16.95 (g)of which unsaturated 10.09 (g)
- Fibers 0.36 (g)
- Sodium 125.19 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar (non-vanilla)
- 1 cup eggs (whole, about 4 large eggs)
- 0.67 oz egg yolk (1 yolk)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 vanilla bean
- lemon zest (grated, zest of one untreated lemon needed)
- 1 pinch salt
- 0.25 oz baking powder
- 0.35 oz butter (to butter the mold)
- 0.35 oz all-purpose flour (to flour the mold)
- 0.88 oz vanilla powdered sugar
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Electric Whisk
- 1 Scale
- 1 Cake Pan flared for paradise cake, 9.5 inches
- 1 Sieve
Procedure
Cut the butter into cubes, place it in a large bowl, and leave it at room temperature for 1 hour (in summer, 30 minutes is sufficient).
Put the eggs and yolk in a small bowl and mix them well with a fork, this way they will blend better with the mixture. They must be at room temperature.
Sift the flour, potato starch, and baking powder together.
Extract the pulp from the vanilla bean and grate the zest of an organic lemon.
You can prepare the Paradise Cake using a stand mixer or electric whisks.
Place in the bowl with the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, grated lemon zest, and beat the mixture with electric whisks until it is fluffy and airy. Start at low speed then switch to medium speed, which will take about 3/4 minutes.
While continuing to beat the mixture, gradually add the eggs, incorporating them slowly without losing the fluffiness of the mixture.
At this point, add the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt in 3 or 4 batches, working the mixture just enough to combine the ingredients.
The batter is ready.
Butter and flour the mold, pour the batter inside, and level it gently.
Bake the cake in a preheated static oven at 347°F for about 45/50 minutes. Perform the toothpick test to check if it’s done. If necessary, cover the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil.
The Paradise Cake is ready, remove it from the oven, wait ten minutes, and turn it over onto a plate. Let it cool completely and dust it with powdered sugar.
Advice
Storage
The Paradise Cake can be stored at room temperature for 2/3 days, well covered.
You can freeze it either whole or in slices.
***********************
For recipe advice, contact me on FACEBOOK and follow me on INSTAGRAM to not miss video tips!
Send me your photos, I will gladly publish them on my social media
