Chestnut and Vanilla Cake

The chestnut and vanilla cake is a very tasty autumnal dessert. Here’s the recipe, which combines the sweetness of chestnuts with the delicate aroma of vanilla.

Ingredients

• 200 g of chestnut flour
• 100 g of sugar
• 100 g of soft butter
• 3 eggs
• 200 ml of milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 packet of baking powder for desserts
• A pinch of salt
• Icing sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a bowl, mix the chestnut flour with sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
3. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife.
4. In another bowl, cream the soft butter with the vanilla seeds until you have a homogeneous mixture.
5. Separate the yolks from the whites and add the yolks to the butter and vanilla mixture, mixing well.
6. Alternately incorporate the chestnut flour mixture and milk into the butter, egg, and vanilla mixture, stirring until you have a smooth and lump-free batter.
7. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the remaining batter, using a spatula and movements from the bottom up to not deflate them.
8. Pour the batter into a previously buttered and floured mold.
9. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Let the cake cool in the mold for a few minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Before serving, you can dust with icing sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.

Curiosity

Chestnut flour was an ingredient commonly used in Italian mountainous areas, where cereals were less accessible. This cake is an example of how traditional flavors can be reinterpreted in a modern way.

For a more Italian variant, you could also add boiled and mashed chestnuts or chocolate chips to the batter, to make it even more in line with the Italian taste for rich and satisfying desserts.