Italian Paradise Cake (Torta Paradiso)

Paradise Cake (Torta Paradiso) is a traditional Italian cake typical of Lombardy pastry, made with really few ingredients! It has a very fluffy texture and a divine taste!

Consider that the name "Torta Paradiso" comes from the very expression of a noblewoman who, upon tasting it, found the cake so melting and delicious that she exclaimed, "This cake is a paradise!

Paradise Cake is great on its own, simply dusted with powdered sugar. It can also be enjoyed with a milk cream filling, a little jam, or even Nutella!

It is quick and easy to make, using only a few quality ingredients and a few tricks to achieve a perfect result that is child-proof for picky eaters and greedy adults! One of the golden rules for a fabulous paradise cake is that the ingredients must all be at room temperature!

The Torta Paradiso is a versatile delight, perfect as a sophisticated afternoon tea treat or as a refined dessert to top off a special meal.

Paradise Cake is also an ideal base for filled cakes and birthday cakes!

Below you will find all the practical tips and a guide with step-by-step photographs to help you get the traditional Italian Paradise Cake right the first time!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Kitchen Tools and Equipment
• Instructions
• Storage
• Tips
• History
• Recipe Card

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Ingredients

Prep Time: 25 Min | Cook Time: 45 Min | Servings: 8

NOTE: Doses for 20 cm (8 inch) non-stick springform pan with removable bottom

• 100 g (⅔ cup) of "00" flour
• 100 g (~¾ cup) of potato starch
• 200 g (7 oz) of unsulted butter (at room temperature)
• 200 g (1 cup) of granulated sugar
• 80 g (2.8 oz) yolks (about 5 large eggs at room temperature)
• 100 g (3.5 oz) whole eggs (about 2 large eggs at room temperature)
• the grated zest of 1 organic lemon
• 3 g (¾ teaspoon) of baking powder
• powdered sugar for decoration

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Kitchen Tools and Equipment

To make this cake, here are some essential kitchen tools you might need:

• Stand Mixer: Essential for creaming together butter and sugar, and for ensuring your mixture is smooth and well-combined. I used KitchenAid Stand Mixer
• Zester or Grater: Since lemon zest is a crucial flavor component, a zester or fine grater is needed to zest the lemons without getting the bitter pith.
• Cake Pan: The type depends on your recipe (round, loaf, or bundt), but you'll need a cake pan to bake your cake. I used a 20 cm (8 inch) round non-stick springform pan with removable bottom. Don't forget to grease it or line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the cake after baking.

Instructions

Whip Butter and Sugar

Step 1) - Wash the lemon thoroughly and dry it. Then grate the rind of the lemon, being careful to take only the outer, yellow part of the lemon. In fact, the white part underneath tends to be bitter and should not be used. Scoop out the zest and set aside.

Step 2) - Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Step 3) - Blend with the whisk. This step is where it all starts and the secret to making a perfect cake. Getting a creamy, fluffy, whipped mixture will take 15-20 minutes.

PLEASE NOTE: The secret to whipping mixtures like this, like Pan di Spagna for example, is all in the movement of the whips, which incorporate air, swelling the batter before baking. Many use powdered (not vanilla) sugar, but in the original authentic recipe the sugar is granulated.

Add the Eggs

Step 4) - Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them lightly with a fork.

Step 5) - Mix at a low but steady speed, adding a little bit more of the egg mixture only when the previous ones have been completely absorbed. Keep doing this until all the eggs have been used up.

The final mixture should be soft, creamy and light, just like the previous beaten butter and sugar. It will be naturally "colored" deep yellow by the presence of the eggs.

Add the Flours

Step 6) - At this point add the flours: Starch, "00" flour and baking powder sifted all together.

Again, add the flours in small doses (1 tablespoon at a time), waiting for the first tablespoon to be completely absorbed before adding the second. Always mix on low speed. Continue to mix until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.

How to Bake Paradise Cake

Step 7) - Butter and lightly flour a baking pan. Then pour in the mixture, taking care to distribute it perfectly in the pan, making sure to get a smooth and fairly even surface

Step 8) - Bake in a preheated static oven at 175°C (338°F) for about 45 minutes. Do not open the oven for 30 minutes or until a firm surface has formed. Always test with a toothpick, which should come out completely dry.

Step 9) - Usually with this type of cake, there is a tendency to form a small bulge in the center of the cake. How to solve this problem? Remove the cake from the oven and, while still warm, unmold it by turning it upside down onto a wide, flat serving plate. Leave it like this for about 5 minutes. At this point turn it upside down again with the help of a plate and place it on a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar. Serve cold.

YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

• Classic Italian Chocolate Cake | Torta al Cioccolato
• Lemon  Almond Cake Recipe

Storage

Store the paradise cake at room temperature. It tastes even better the next day! Place it on a plate once cooled and cover it with plastic wrap. This way it will keep longer, up to 3-4 days.

Tips

Granulated Sugar vs Powdered Sugar

For making Italian Paradise Cake, also known as "Torta Paradiso," both powdered sugar and granulated sugar can be used, but each will impact the cake in different ways. The choice between the two depends on the texture and sweetness level you're aiming for.

• Granulated Sugar: Using granulated sugar, as in the original Italian recipe, will give the cake a slightly denser and more traditional texture. Granulated sugar helps to aerate the batter when creamed with butter, contributing to the cake's structure and volume.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar, on the other hand, is granulated sugar that has been finely ground and mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent caking. Using powdered sugar can result in a finer, softer texture due to its ability to dissolve more easily within the batter. It might also make the cake slightly sweeter and lighter in texture, considering powdered sugar's finer grain.

If you're aiming for authenticity and following the original Italian recipe, granulated sugar is the way to go. However, if you're experimenting or prefer a slightly different texture, powdered sugar can be a suitable alternative. Just be mindful of the differences in volume and sweetness; powdered sugar is denser by volume than granulated sugar, so you may need to adjust the amount used if substituting one for the other.

Baking Powder or Not?

Traditionally, the Paradise Cake relies on the air whipped into the eggs and sugar to give it its rise, following a method similar to making a sponge cake. This means that the authentic Italian recipe for Torta Paradiso typically does not include baking powder.

Whether or not to use baking powder in the recipe depends on a few factors:

• Authenticity: If you're aiming to create a cake that is true to the traditional Italian recipe and culinary experience, it's better to avoid baking powder. Sticking to the original method of relying on whipped eggs for leavening will give you a more authentic result.
• Skill Level and Equipment: Achieving the right texture without baking powder requires careful whipping of the eggs to incorporate enough air and then gentle folding of the ingredients to maintain that airiness. This process can be more challenging for novice bakers or those without the proper equipment (like a stand mixer).
• Texture Preference: Baking powder can make the cake rise more uniformly and give it a slightly different texture, potentially making it lighter and more aerated than the traditional version. If you prefer a cake with a more consistent crumb and are less concerned about authenticity, adding a small amount of baking powder might be beneficial.

History

The Paradise Cake is a symbol of the city of Pavia, so much so that it has been included in the list of PAT (Traditional Italian Foods Products). The ingredients are simple, the story, as always, controversial.

Looking for news about the birth of the Paradiso cake, one comes to a crossroads. On the one hand, there is the legend: a herbalist monk of the Certosa di Pavia prepared this cake centuries ago and served it to his brethren, making them "fly to heaven" for the goodness and lightness of this cake!

The other story, the real one, is that of Enrico Vigoni, owner and founder of the Vigoni pastry shop in Pavia in 1878: it was he who invented the cake, making it a typical dessert of the city, so much so that it is also known by the synonym "Tùrta Vigon".

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