Lemon Torta Paradiso

The Lemon Torta Paradiso is a citrusy variation of the classic Torta Paradiso, a soft specialty of Italian pastry. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 150 g of soft butter at room temperature
• 150 g of granulated sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (make sure it’s untreated and well-washed)
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 130 g of all-purpose flour
• 70 g of potato starch
• A pack of baking powder (about 16 g)
• A pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar (for decoration)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease and flour (or line with parchment paper) a 20 cm springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream the soft butter with the sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy and light.
3. Add the grated lemon zest to the mixture and mix well.
4. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift the flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt directly into the egg and butter mixture, and gently fold in with a spatula or a wooden spoon to blend everything together without deflating the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, level it, and bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before removing it from the pan.
8. Once cooled, dust the surface of the cake with powdered sugar to decorate.

Curiosity

The Torta Paradiso owes its origin to a pastry chef from Pavia, Enrico Vigoni, who created this dessert in the 1800s. The name “Paradiso” seems to have been attributed to emphasize its incredible softness and lightness, which makes it almost ethereal.

You could accompany this sweet creation with a dusting of powdered sugar or with a light lemon glaze to emphasize the citrus aroma. Additionally, if you desire an even stronger lemon flavor, you could also add some fresh lemon juice to the mixture.