Pairs well with Torta di Compleanno (Birthday Cake)
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Torta di Compleanno (Birthday Cake)
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A delicious Italian birthday cake featuring a soft sponge cake (pan di spagna) filled with creamy custard and dark chocolate flakes, topped with whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate sprinkles, and mixed berries.
00:45:00 total
Serves 8
medium
Cake Dessert
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Ingredients
- potato starch (fecola di patate) - 125 g (for pan di spagna)
- all-purpose flour (farina 00) - 90 g (for pan di spagna)
- fine salt - 1 pinch (for pan di spagna)
- eggs (medium) - 4 (210 g) (for pan di spagna)
- sugar - 225 g (for pan di spagna)
- egg yolks (medium) - 4 (75 g) (for pan di spagna)
- whole milk - 500 g (for custard)
- sugar - 150 g (for custard)
- egg yolks - 100 g (for custard)
- cornstarch (maizena) - 25 g (for custard)
- rice starch - 20 g (for custard)
- lemon zest - 1 (for custard)
- orange zest - 1 (for custard)
- vanilla pod - 1 (for custard)
- cinnamon powder - 1 pinch (for custard)
- fine salt - 1 pinch (for custard)
- water - 375 g (for soaking syrup (bagna))
- sugar - 150 g (for soaking syrup (bagna))
- orange zest - 1 (for soaking syrup (bagna))
- lemon zest - 1 (for soaking syrup (bagna))
- dark chocolate flakes - 80 g (for filling)
- fresh liquid cream - 1 l (for glazing and whipped cream)
- powdered sugar - 70 g (for glazing whipped cream)
- chocolate sprinkles - to taste (for decoration)
- strawberries - to taste (for decoration)
- mixed berries - to taste (for decoration)
- melted dark chocolate - 50 g (for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake): Mix potato starch, flour, and a pinch of salt. Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy, then gently fold in the dry ingredients and egg yolks. Pour into a 26 cm cake pan and bake.
- Bake Pan di Spagna: Bake the sponge cake at 170°C (338°F) for approximately 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool.
- Make Crema Pasticcera (Custard Cream): Heat milk with lemon and orange zest, vanilla pod, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and rice starch. Slowly combine hot milk with egg mixture, then cook over low heat until thickened. Cool the custard.
- Prepare Bagna (Soaking Syrup): Boil water with sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest until sugar dissolves. Let cool.
- Assemble the Cake: Slice the sponge cake horizontally. Soak each layer with the bagna syrup. Spread custard cream on layers, sprinkle with dark chocolate flakes, and stack.
- Prepare Whipped Cream Glaze: Whip fresh cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Decorate the Cake: Cover the assembled cake with whipped cream. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles, fresh strawberries, mixed berries, and drizzle melted dark chocolate on top.
- Serve: Plate the cake and serve chilled or at room temperature.
