Traditional Italian Birthday Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna):.
• Place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until very thick and lemon colored (mixture should be at least doubled in volume, and thick like frosting - it can take up to 15 minutes (or longer with a hand mixer) of beating to reach the proper volume/texture) .
• Add flour, a little at a time, gently folding it in until well blended.
• Gently fold in vanilla and lemon rind (if using it).
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into cake mixture.
• Butter and flour an 18-inch square (or a 9 x 13 x 3, or a 11 x 17 x 2-inch half-sheet) cake pan, (make sure pan size will fit your oven; you could also use three 8 or 9-inch layer pans).
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 375°F for 15 to 35 minutes (depending on your oven and the volume of your pans.), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven and turn out (of pan) onto a cake rack to cool completely.
• Cake can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated overnight, or frozen (up to 3 weeks) for future use.
• Italian Pastry Cream (Pasticciera Cream): Place sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon rind (if using it), and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix together well.
• In a separate sauce pan, scald milk.
• Very slowly pour milk over egg yolk mixture, in a thin stream, beating constantly with rotary beater.
• Continue cooking on low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches the boiling point.
• Cook 4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
• Remove pan from heat, add butter and mix well.
• Pour into bowl and let cool, stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming over the top.
• If using as a filling, chill (with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming) until very thick (about 3-4 hours).
• Chocolate Pasticciera Cream: Place sugar, egg yolks flour, and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix together well.
• In a separate sauce pan, scald milk.
• Very slowly pour milk over egg yolk mixture, in a thin stream, beating constantly with rotary beater.
• Continue cooking on low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches the boiling point.
• Cook 4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
• Add chocolate and while stirring, cook 1 minute longer.
• Remove pan from heat, add butter and mix well.
• Pour into bowl and let cool, stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming over the top.
• If using as a filling, chill (with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming) until very thick (about 3-4 hours).
• Rum Syrup*: Mix together the water, sugar, and rum in a small pot.
• Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from the heat and cool before using.
• *NOTE:If you prefer not to use rum syrup, you may sprinkle/brush cake layers with 1/3 cup rum which has been diluted with 1/4 cup water.
• Stabilized Whipped Cream - Corn Syrup Method: In a large chilled bowl, with chilled beaters, beat cold cream until it just starts to thicken.
• Add corn syrup and vanilla from the side of the bowl, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Stabilized Whipped Cream - Gelatin Method: Prepare gelatin- Soak plain gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes.
• Dissolve by placing it in a container over a small pot of simmering water, stir until dissolved.
• Set aside to cool before using.
• In a large well-chilled bowl, with well chilled beaters, beat cream with electric mixer.
• Just before it becomes soft and billowy, slowly add the sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream at the sides of the bowl, continue to whip as you do.
• Whip the cream until barely stiff.
• Add melted and cooled gelatin all at once to cream during whipping.
• Stop whipping when cream forms soft peaks.
• Finish beating with whisk to adjust consistency to stiff peaks.
• Use/serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until needed.
• If peaks have softened during refrigeration, rewhip by hand using a whisk.
• Rum Cake Assembly Instructions: Slice sponge cake in half to form two 9 x 18-inch layers Using a long, thin bladed knife, cut/split each layer in half lengthwise making four thin 9 x 18-inch layers.
• Place bottom sponge layer on platter cut side up, sprinkle/brush with about 1/4 of the rum, be careful not to get the cake too wet, or layers will become soggy.
• Allow sprinkled/brushed rum to soak into the cake for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle/brush remaining sponge layers (on the cut side) evenly with remaining rum.
• Spread a layer of vanilla pasticciera cream on the first sponge layer.
• Top the vanilla cream layer with another layer of rum sprinkled sponge cake.
• Spread a layer of stabilized whipped cream on the second sponge layer.
• Top the whipped cream layer with another layer of rum sprinkled sponge cake.
• Spread a layer of chocolate pasticciera cream on the third sponge layer.
• Top the chocolate layer with the last layer of sponge cake.
• Frost the top sponge cake layer (and sides of cake, optional) with remaining stabilized whipped cream.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
• Refrigerate any leftovers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans. Cream butter, shortening and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in pecans and coconut., Pour prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Press pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate.