I had something else planned for this week’s recipe until I made this simple cake yesterday and served it with strawberries and ice cream. After smelling it bake and taking a bite, I knew I had to share it sooner than later.
For starters, let’s distinguish Margherita from Margarita. It’s as simple as Italian versus Mexican. Pizza Margherita is made with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella to resemble the Italian flag. Margaritas are a cold mixed drink universally available in Mexican eateries.
Either way you spell it, Margarita or Margherita means “daisy. ” Many Italian recipes refer to this as a “torta.” So we could call it an Italian Daisy Torte (or cake) if that helps. One benefit to this recipe, in addition to its awesome taste? It’s gluten-free, thanks to the potato flour. (Some recipes say you can use half regular flour, but I wouldn’t – the potato flour creates a unique and wonderful texture.)
I used this recipe and converted the measurements for ease of use for American cooks.
Margherita Torta
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2/3 cup caster or superfine sugar*
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup potato flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill potato starch)
*The recipe calls for caster sugar, which is somewhere between our regular sugar and confectioner’s or 10X sugar. You can make your own by grinding regular sugar in a blender or food processer (seal it up tight to reduce sugar dust). The upside to doing this is you will use less sugar due to the increase in air volume.) The downside is it it is messy and adds an extra step. I used regular sugar and just pulled back a tad on the amount I used – closer to 1/2 than 2/3 cup.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 320 F. Grease a 9-inch pan (I used a springform pan but you can use a standard cake pan if it’s deep enough – the cake will rise considerably as it bakes.) Place a circle of parchment paper over the buttered bottom.
In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Beat on medium speed until doubled in volume – approximately 5 minutes. While it’s mixing, use a micro-planer to zest a lemon; add to the sugar/egg mixture and beat for another 5 minutes. (Notice how full my big mixing bowl is – from just four eggs and less than a cup of sugar. Creating that volume by beating the eggs and sugar is key to this cake rising properly, so don’t try to shortcut this step.)
Gently scoop 3/4 cup of potato starch into a sifter and sift, then add to batter. Mix briefly to combine; whip at a high speed for 5-10 seconds to ensure it is evenly distributed through.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is lightly golden and a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Top will spring back, but use a gentle touch.
Allow to cool; run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen and remove springform band or invert onto cooling rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
We loved it as a shortcake with fresh strawberries and ice cream. The texture is perfectly light and moist, and the hint of fresh lemon flavor is a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetened strawberries. I suspect we’ll enjoy this recipe a few more times between strawberry and blueberry seasons. You can also simply dust the top with powdered sugar and serve it plain or drizzle it with a lemon sauce.
I hope you’ll try this wonderful, easy cake soon. Now that I have a bag of potato flour on hand, I can’t think of a better recipe to use it on!
Happy baking,
Terry
Can’t wait to try this!
A word to the wise, it is best the first day. It’s still soft for a few days after, but its texture isn’t quite as good.
That sounds wonderful!! And a great dish the GF folks in my family can enjoy!!