Torta alla Panna–Italian Birthday Cake!

Teresa always makes the same cake. I posted about her blessed birthday cake this past July. We were in Italy in June and she made the cake for my father-in-law.  Torta alla Panna means Whipped Cream Cake. Teresa always makes the cake with a Pan di Spagna recipe, which is basically a sponge cake. Then she fills it with vanilla pudding and on top is delicious homemade whipped cream and whatever fruit she has in season. We had a container of gorgeous organic strawberries to decorate the top. We used a box of Jello-O instant vanilla pudding to hurry up the process because we had company arriving to celebrate with us!

It made me smile to watch my husband helping his mother with this cake. While we were decorating the cake, Fabrizio arrived from work on his break and jumped in to give us a hand. I left the two of them alone working on the decorating and took the photos.

How to make a traditional Italian birthday cake?

Torta alla Panna

Pan di Spagna ingredients:
12 inch round cake pan
5 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling:
1 small box Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix

Topping:
1 pint whipping cream
container of strawberries

Sugar Syrup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
¼-1/2 cup of Rum or your favorite liqueur (use more or less depending on your taste.If you don't like taste of alcohol, add orange juice or lemon juice to the sugar syrup)

Whipped Cream Directions:

Chill a medium sized metal bowl in the freezer. Remove bowl from the freezer and add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl. Using a hand mixer on high speed, whip the cream until soft peaks begin to form; gradually add in the ¼ cup of confectioner's sugar. Continue to beat the whipped cream until it is thick and velvety. (about 1-2 minutes). Don't over beat or you will have butter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-inch round cake pan with parchment paper (or 2 9-inch cake pans). Beat the eggs all at one time with the sugar on high speed until it is nice and frothy. Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the flour and baking powder.

Beat in the sifted flour on medium speed in small doses.

This is how the batter should look. Just delizoso!

Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Teresa didn't butter and flour it. She put it in dry.

Bake the Pan di Spagna for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of the hand. Check the cake after the first 20 minutes to make sure it isn't getting too brown. Every oven is different. If needed, lower the temperature to 325 for the rest of the baking time.

While the cake is baking, whisk together your pudding mix.

Let the cake cool completely.

Slice the cake carefully in half. Let boil one cup of water with 2 tablespoons sugar.

In a bottle add your liqueur and the sugar syrup (we used mandarinetto that Teresa made and brought from Italy. She recommends Rum very highly). Squirt the syrup on the bottom layer very well with ½ the bottle.

Spoon on the pudding around the bottom layer.

Spread out the pudding evenly with a spatula.

Carefully place the second layer on top.

Squirt on the other ½ bottle of syrup on the top of the cake.

Whip the cream until nice peaks form.

Start spreading the whipped cream around the top and sides of the cream.

We decorated the top with strawberries sliced in half.

Pipe the sides of the cake with more whipped cream.

Finish adding the rest of the strawberries to the top.

Wishing you a GREAT week! Thank you for stopping by to say "HELLO!"

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5 from 3 votes

Traditional Italian Birthday Cake Recipe

This Traditional Italian Birthday Cake Recipe is my Italian mother-in-law’s cherished recipe! The cake is moist and aromatic from the liqueur we used. The pudding in the middle adds the perfect touch of creaminess. Make it for any special birthday and impress everyone!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Birthday cake, sponge cake, Strawberries, whipped cream

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• PAN DI SPAGNA CAKE
• 12 inch round cake pan
• 5 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• FILLING
• 1 small box Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix
• TOPPING
• 1 pint whipping cream
• container of strawberries
• SUGAR SYRUP
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼-1/2 cup of Rum or your favorite liqueur use more or less depending on your taste.If you don’t like taste of alcohol, add orange juice or lemon juice to the sugar syrup
• WHIPPED CREAM
• pint of heavy whipping cream I used organic
• ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

• Chill a medium sized metal bowl in the freezer. Remove bowl from the freezer and add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl. Using a hand mixer on high speed, whip the cream until soft peaks begin to form; gradually add in the ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar. Continue to beat the whipped cream until it is thick and velvety. (about 1-2 minutes). Take care not to over beat or you will have butter. Store whipped cream in fridge while you prep and bake the cake.
• PAN DI SPAGNA- CAKE
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-inch round cake pan with parchment paper (or 2 9-inch cake pans). Beat the eggs all at one time with the sugar on high speed until it is nice and frothy. Beat in the vanilla.
• Sift the flour and baking powder.
• Beat in the sifted flour on medium speed in small doses.
• Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Teresa didn’t butter and flour it. She put it in dry.
• Bake the Pan di Spagna batter for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of the hand. Check the cake after the first 20 minutes to make sure it isn’t getting too brown. Every oven is different. If needed, lower the temperature to 325 for the rest of the baking time.
• PUDDING
• While the cake is baking, whisk together your pudding mix according to directions. Set aside to cool down.
• ASSEMBLE CAKE
• Let the cake cool completely.
• Slice the cake carefully in half. Let boil one cup of water with 2 tablespoons sugar.
• In a bottle add your liqueur and the sugar syrup (we used mandarinetto, which is an orange liqueur that Teresa made and brought from Italy. She recommends Rum very highly). Squirt the syrup on the bottom layer very well with ½ the bottle.
• Spoon on the pudding around the bottom layer.
• Spread out the pudding evenly with a spatula.
• Carefully place the second layer on top.
• Squirt on the other ½ bottle of syrup on the top of the cake.
• Remove the whipped cream from the fridge. Start spreading the whipped cream around the top and sides of the cream.
• Decorate with fresh strawberries slices or any other fruit you like. We decorated the top with strawberries sliced in half.
• Pipe the sides of the cake with more whipped cream.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

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