Italy Part 21

Sicilians certainly do not cut corners when making cake! This was my conclusion after enduring a baking venture that took me three days to complete. This recipe would have normally taken two, however, I had to make my own sponge cake since my local grocery stores failed to supply any in the shape and size required. Other ingredients that I could not purchase included, cedro (a lemon-like citrus fruit), fruit glace (candied fruits in a glossy corn syrup coating), and blanched almonds (really)!  I did my best with substitutions. The following is my Cassata all Siciliana (p. 141) cake story...

Day 1: A cake for a cake

Preparing sponge cake is like cooking solid egg foam. It required making a sweet, citrus flour and egg yolk batter, followed by gentle folding into a giant bowl of whipped egg whites and sugar until the consistency resembled a frothy latte! Angel food cake has always been a favorite of mine, but now I think I found a competitor. 

Colonial Sponge Cake
From: "Better Homes and Gardens Heritage Cookbook"
Copyright 1975 

Inverting the pan for cooling.
Why am I always terrified the cake will plop right out?

This is what happens when you leave spongy, unguarded cake with me
(just ask my mother)!  Crispy undersides are just so irresistible, and
besides, who is going to notice the bottom of a cake after a good icing?

Day 2: Assembling the dessert puzzle 

Now that I had a sponge cake ready-homemade, it was time to prepare the filling and then assemble the whole cake together. Many steps were involved.  Ricotta cheese was the main ingredient and to add even more Italian flare, the sponge cake was sprinkled generously with dessert wine. 

I substituted whole, raw almonds for "blanched" since
I could not find them at the store and realized only
later that I could have probably taken off the almonds' brown
coats with a little extra elbow grease. Lessons for the future!
They required cutting into halves and dry-frying. 

My substitution for the real candied fruits (or glace) was to
purchase purely artificial ones. I used the yellow, orange, and red
pieces to substitute for cedro, orange glace, and cherry glace. 

This recipe takes "cheesecake" to a new level,
requiring nearly two pounds of fresh ricotta. Yum!

The filling ingredients are ready to mingle.
Ingredients: ricotta, candied fruits, almonds, pistachios,
icing sugar, vanilla, and grated lemon rind. 

The sponge cake required modifications via slicing,
reserving one complete, round piece for the filling "lid."
The rest of the cake was cut into various angled pieces
and assembled into a greased bowl as the cake's exterior. 

The cake mosaic after a shower of wine.
When I do this again, I would find a smaller, steeper bowl.
The recipe calls for a "pudding basin" but I used a mixing bowl.

Madeira, the dessert wine that was needed for the infusion.
Much like Port or Marsala, this sweet wine is fortified.
It gets its name from the origin of the grapes:
the Portuguese islands of Madeira.  

Stuffed. 

After the final placement of the reserved slab of sponge cake,
this assembled jigsaw must set in the fridge overnight.  

Day 3: Beautification and appreciation
After a night of beauty rest I was overly curious to take a peak. Much hesitation came when I realized that two days of hard work could be easily ruined with just one failed attempt to flip the heavy contents of the bowl onto a plate!  With a bit of pep talk and deep breathing, I flipped the bowl while struggling to hold the plate steady until I finally felt the anticipated PLOP! of the cake releasing from the sides of the bowl.  I was thrilled (thrilled!!) that it all came out in one piece. The final steps required covering up some blemished surfaces with whipped cream and a splash of color. What a beauty! Let's eat! 

Getting ready for the flip.

It survived with all of its pieces intact!

Ready for the cakewalk (... around my kitchen). 

This cake is truly divine! It may have taken three days to prepare from scratch, however, beauty transpires from the inside out. A feast for the eyes and taste buds! My favorite part has to be its colorful confetti filling- the smooth, sweet ricotta complements the crunchy nuts and chewy fruit pieces. Please note that the sponge cake is named as such for a reason. Comparing the last two photos, you will recognize how the whipped cream was taken right up by the cake in only a few hours, so I would suggest garnishing immediately before serving.  A piece (or two) is extra tasty with some additional Madeira or a splash of blush wine.