Buckwheat Cake

The buckwheat cake, also known as South Tyrolean buckwheat cake or “Buchweizentorte” in German, is a traditional dessert from the Trentino-South Tyrol region. It is characterized by its unique flavor due to the use of buckwheat, an ingredient very common in mountain cuisine. Let’s see how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 250 g of buckwheat flour
• 100 g of all-purpose flour (for more authentic versions you can find recipes using only buckwheat flour)
• 150 g of soft butter
• 150 g of granulated sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 packet of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of one lemon (organic if possible)
• Cranberry or raspberry jam to fill

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and prepare a cake tin by buttering and flouring it.
2. Separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the yolks with half of the sugar until the mixture is frothy and light.
3. Add the soft butter to the whipped yolks and sugar and continue to work the mixture to incorporate them well.
4. Combine the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Mix to obtain a homogeneous dough.
5. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form with a pinch of salt and the remaining sugar, then gently fold them into the yolk and flour mixture, being careful not to deflate them.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool before cutting it horizontally to fill with blueberry or raspberry jam.
8. Reassemble the cake and, if desired, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Fun Fact

The buckwheat cake is often associated with mountain areas, where buckwheat adapts well to the cool climate and less fertile lands. In South Tyrol, this cake is a classic that can be found in pastry shops, especially during autumn, and can be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee, or accompanied by a glass of dessert wine.