Margherita cake

As a child I loved her very much two cakes: the tart with jam and sponge cake.
These two cakes were also the first I learned to bake and, until after ten years, there were none!

My mother used, as the only cooking manual, that ofArtusi and that was it recipe that I was taught.

Today in my kitchen of home many cakes pass but, every now and then, the call of nostalgia is felt and so, like then, the margherita cake appears on the table.

As in the original recipe the ingredients are four and the proportions are always thirty grams of starch and the same amount of sugar for each egg.
The only concession is, if desired, the use of baking powder and a little grated vanilla: for vanilla it is a passion of mine and as far as yeast is concerned ... well, we are not at mastroscéff and in the home kitchen some little help always comes in handy.

Although, to be fair, when the egg whites are mounted really stiff and then incorporated gently into the dough, the cake then grows wonderfully!

Ingredients, for a 24 Ø ring cake pan:

potato flour	g.	120
granulated sugar	g.	120
eggs	pc.	4
grated lemon rind	ct.	2
baking powder (optional)	g.	10
vanilla (optional)	pinch (made with three fingers)	1

Depending on the need, the quantities can be increased or decreased proportionately:
it will be necessary to adjust cooking times if necessary.
(for a party with friends I tried to prepare it in a large pan as the grill of the oven!)

Preparation:

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Start by buttering a ring cake tin. Even if you cover the bottom with greaseproof paper, you should also pass a little butter on the paper (the fingers will already be greased!).
Preheat the oven (static) to 180 °.
Separate the yolks from the whites and set aside the latter.

Whip the reds with the sugar for at least five minutes with an electric whisk and then add the potato starch with the lemon zest a little at a time (and the yeast and vanilla if you have decided to use them ...).

When the dough has become a homogeneous whole keep it aside and begin mount the egg whites until stiff: it should be very firm snow.

At this point incorporate the egg whites to the rest of the dough, little by little, stirring from the bottom upwards with great gentleness: you do not have to sit!

Pour the dough into the pan and level daisy, always gently with a spatula.
Bake in 180 ° (static) and do not open the oven until the cake is ready (depending on the quantity used, from 30 'to 45').

In any case, before baking it permanently, check the cooking with the usual steccolino.
Allow to cool, sprinkle with icing sugar, and serve!

Even the children of my neighbors confirm that it is very good.

ADVICES AND NOTES:

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PDF recipe, to print or download.
This cake can also be divided into layers and filled with custard or jam.
Whisk the egg whites to snow: add a ct. of lemon juice with egg whites, before starting to whip them, will make the mixture more stable.
As for the sponge cake, also for this dough you can whip the whole eggs with the sugar by mixing them in a bain-marie up to 40 ° and then whipping them with a whisk until you get a firm cream. (see here the preparation of the sponge cake).
The absence of the butter makes it very dry and adapted to be soaked in aromatic syrups.
It is a simple substitute for the sponge cake in some preparations.
Since there is absolutely no flour, this cake, in its original and essential version, is also a dessert suitable for those with gluten intolerance.
The original voice of Pellegrino Artusi manual (the 576) It is also found here!
Pellegrino Artusi, Science in the kitchen and the art of eating well, prhyme edition 1891, Landi publisher.
See also: sponge cake, Childhood cakes: daisy, Cake daisy with custard, The cake daisy, soft version!