Torta russa di Verona

The Russian Cake of Verona is a highly appreciated dessert in the Veronese pastry tradition. Despite its name, it has no connection to Russian cuisine, but it seems that the name derives from its resemblance to the typical Russian headgear, the papakha. The uniqueness of this cake lies in its texture: a crumbly and light dough, thanks to the presence of almonds and cornstarch.

Here is the recipe for making a Russian Cake of Verona:

Ingredients

• 250 g of butter
• 250 g of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 100 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 g of cornstarch (cornflour)
• 100 g of finely chopped almonds
• The grated zest of 1 lemon
• A packet of baking powder
• Powdered sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
2. Whip the soft butter with the sugar until you have a foamy cream.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, continuing to whip.
4. Combine the flour, cornstarch, and finely chopped almonds, sifting them together to avoid lumps. Mix gently with movements from the bottom up to not dismantle the mixture.
5. Add the packet of baking powder and the grated lemon zest, stirring until a homogeneous dough is obtained.
6. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured cake tin, about 24 cm in diameter.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

Curiosity

The Russian Cake can be served as a dessert at the end of a meal or as a cake for tea. The soft and buttery texture and delicate flavor make it perfect to enjoy at any time of the day.

For an Italian tasting, you could accompany the Russian Cake with a good Vin Santo or a Moscato d’Asti, dessert wines that well match the delicacy of this sweet.