Italian cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Torta Paradiso

Lombard butter cake made from equal parts butter, sugar and starch, so fine it melts on the tongue.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 200 g soft butter
• 200 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 100 g flour
• 100 g cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 organic lemon (zest)
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar (plus more for dusting)

Instructions

1. Take the butter out of the fridge at least 1 hour ahead, preheat the oven to 170°C and butter and flour a 24 cm springform pan.
2. Beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 8-10 min. until very pale and fluffy - this long time gives the cake its fine crumb.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next, so the mixture doesn't curdle.
4. Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt, sift them over the batter and fold in briefly together with the grated lemon zest.
5. Fill the batter into the pan, smooth it out and bake for 40-45 min., until the surface is golden yellow and a wooden skewer comes out dry.
6. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 min., turn it out onto a rack, let it cool completely and serve dusted thickly with powdered sugar.