Torta Mantovana or Italian Almond Cake

This Torta Mantovana is something I have wanted to try for a very long time.

It is an Italian cake or torta made with lemon zest, vanilla and topped with delicious almonds. It looks very festive if you finish it off with some icing sugar and love <3

It is very easy to make, just make sure you have a stand mixer or a hand mixer for whipping those eggs.

What do you need?

• sliced almonds

• 150g melted and cooled (but still runny) butter

• 150gr sugar

• 180gr flour

• Eggs - 5 yolks and 4 egg whites

• 1 tbsp lemon zest (one whole, large lemon)

• 5gr baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• icing sugar

What do you need to do?

In a (stand mixer) bowl, whip the eggs until they become lighter in colour and fluffy. Then start adding the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. The mixture will become even more fluffy and lighter in colour as you add the sugar.

Start drizzling in the butter, taking your time. Then add the vanilla and lemon zets.

Change your stand mixer to a paddle, or if you’re doing it by hand, go for a spatula so you can fold in the ingredients. Add the flour spoon by spoon, together with the baking powder. Mix wel until you have a smooth consistency.

In a greased, round cake tin, tip in the mixture and top off with the almonds.

Bake in the oven at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. Prik with a toothpick to see if it is cooked. If the pick comes out clean then your cake is cooked!

When done, leave to cool for a bit in the cake tin and finish off with icing sugar!

Serve on your prettiest plates for your guests (or yourself ;) )