Paradise Cake got its name for a reason. Imagine super soft, buttery cake that literally melts in your mouth. Best part? You don’t even need any cream filling! It's so rich, soft and buttery!
In its most traditional form Paradise cake is a single layer cake so rich and flavorful that any kind of cream is absolutely unnecessary.
Legend Says
As legend goes, Paradise cake has been created centuries ago by a herbalist monk from the Certosa di Pavia. The religious subsequently proposed it to his confreres. The taste of the cake exceeded all the expectations and its excellence made them explained: "This cake is from paradise”. And this is how we know it today - Paradise Cake or Torta Del Paradiso".
The first written Paradise Cake recipe dates back to 1878.
That year a famous Pastry Chef from Pavia (Lombardy region) shared his recipe making it spread all over Italy. You can still visit his Pastry Shop named "Pasticceria Vigoni" downtown on Pavia and taste this incredible cake.
However, if you have no plans on visiting Northern Italy anytime soon (no pan intended!) you can easily make it at home.
It also pairs perfectly with a shot of homemade limoncello.
How To Make Paradise Cake - Step By Step
Start by adding butter and half of the sugar in a large bowl. Beat well for good few minutes until butter becomes fluffy and airy.
Add egg yolks and continue beating until well combined.
Add potato starch, flour and baking powder passed through a sieve. Mix well making sure to scrub the bottom and the sides of the bowl of any flour or potato starch lumps.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites. Once they become foamy add remaining sugar and beat until egg whites double or triple in size and soft peaks form.
Add lemon zest to the main batter.
Gently fold in the egg whites a couple of spoons at a time. Fold moving your spatula from top to bottom until you finish all the egg whites.
Grease 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) baking pan with a small piece of butter. Dust with flour and shake off excess.
Transfer the cake batter into the baking pan and gently level it with a spatula. It should fill ⅔ of the height of the pan.
Bake in a preheated to 180° C (350° F) oven for about 45-55 minutes. Do a toothpick test - if it come out clean, non sticky from the center of the cake - it’s ready.
Time in the oven depends on the baking pan. The smaller the diameter of the pan the higher will be the cake, the more time it'll need in the oven to cook through.
Let your Paradise Cake cool and dust it with confectioners sugar.
This cake is so soft and moist that it doesn't need any kind of cream filling. But if you really want to go all in, divide the cake in 2 layers and layer it with Italian Pastry Cream or Diplomat Cream. Heaven on Earth 😊
More Italian Cakes
If you love this Paradise cake, try also:
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Full Recipe
Paradise Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g powdered sugar or granulated sugar (see notes)
- 300 g butter , softened at room temperature
- 150 g flour
- 150 g potato starch
- 6 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 lemon zest only
- Confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Start by adding butter and half of the powdered sugar or granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat well for good few minutes until butter becomes fluffy, airy and lighter in color.
- Add egg yolks and continue beating until well combined.
- Add potato starch, flour and baking powder passed through a sieve. Mix well making sure to scrub the bottom and the sides of the bowl of any flour or potato starch lumps.
- In a separate bowl beat the egg whites. Once they become foamy add remaining sugar and beat until egg whites double or triple in size and soft peaks form.
- Add lemon zest to the main batter.
- Gently fold in the egg whites a couple of spoons at a time. Fold moving your spatula from top to bottom until you finish all the egg whites.
- Rub 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) baking pan with a small piece of butter.
- Dust with flour and remove excess.
- Transfer the cake batter into the baking pan and gently level it with a spatula. It should fill ⅔ of the height of the pan.
- Bake in a preheated to 180° C (350° F) oven for about 45-55 minutes. Do a toothpick test - if it come out clean, non sticky from the center of the cake - it’s ready.
- Let your Paradise Cake cool and dust it with confectioners sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Edie says
Would this be salted or unsalted butter
Italian Recipe Book says
Hey Edie, this recipe uses unsalted butter.
Georgia says
This is an excellent cake. Don’t be discouraged by the potato starch because you can substitute corn starch. I think adding starch is like making cake flour. Very important is the lemon zest. It says zest of one lemon but use your judgment with thin skin supermarket lemons as you may want more.
Italian Recipe Book says
I'm glad you enjoyed my Paradise cake, Georgia! And thank you for sharing your tips 🙂
Georgia Jadick says
@Italian Recipe Book,
marybeth says
can you convert grams to cups?
Alice says
I have never used potato starch, were would I fine it or can I use something different. Thank you.
Italian Recipe Book says
Hi Alice, you can easily use corn starch instead of potato starch. You can get it at your grocery store or even purchase on good old Amazon. Hope this helps!
Sergio says
Sergio
Anonymous says
Sergio
Lissa Mattson says
This is a recipe I plan to bake, but I have a question. The oven temperature of 180 is Celsius or Fahrenheit? Thanks.
Italian Recipe Book says
Hi Lissa, 180 is celsius or 350 in Fahrenheit. Thanks for asking, I'll add it to the recipe now.
Let me know how it goes 🙂