A very valid point indeed. Does a woman need good cake or a nice pair of earrings on her birthday? Feeling guilty that her cake-making mamma was here during her birthday spoiling us, I decided we should make the cake she would’ve eaten and we will celebrate and sing to her here! Brilliant idea!
Torta alla Panna
Pan di Spagna ingredients:
12 inch round cake pan
5 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Filling:
1 small box Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix
Topping:
1 pint whipping cream
container of strawberries
Sugar Syrup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4-1/2 cup of Rum or your favorite liqueur (use more or less depending on your taste.If you don’t like taste of alcohol, add orange juice or lemon juice to the sugar syrup)
Whipped Cream Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-inch round cake pan with parchment paper (or 2 9-inch cake pans). Beat the eggs all at one time with the sugar on high speed until it is nice and frothy. Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the flour and baking powder. 
Beat in the sifted flour on medium speed in small doses.
This is how the batter should look. Just delizoso!
This is how the batter should look. Just delizoso!
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Pour the batter into the lined cake pan. Teresa didn’t butter and flour it. She put it in dry.
Bake the Pan di Spagna for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of the hand. Check the cake after the first 20 minutes to make sure it isn’t getting too brown. Every oven is different. If needed, lower the temperature to 325 for the rest of the baking time.
While the cake is baking, whisk together your pudding mix.
Let the cake cool completely.
Let the cake cool completely.
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Slice the cake carefully in half. Let boil one cup of water with 2 tablespoons sugar.
Slice the cake carefully in half. Let boil one cup of water with 2 tablespoons sugar.
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In a bottle add your liqueur and the sugar syrup (we used mandarinetto that Teresa made and brought from Italy. She recommends Rum very highly). Squirt the syrup on the bottom layer very well with 1/2 the bottle.
In a bottle add your liqueur and the sugar syrup (we used mandarinetto that Teresa made and brought from Italy. She recommends Rum very highly). Squirt the syrup on the bottom layer very well with 1/2 the bottle.
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Spoon on the pudding around the bottom layer.
Spoon on the pudding around the bottom layer.
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Spread out the pudding evenly with a spatula.
Spread out the pudding evenly with a spatula.
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Carefully place the second layer on top.
Carefully place the second layer on top.
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Squirt on the other 1/2 bottle of syrup on the top of the cake.
Squirt on the other 1/2 bottle of syrup on the top of the cake.
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Whip the cream until nice peaks form.
Whip the cream until nice peaks form.
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Start spreading the whipped cream around the top and sides of the cream.
Start spreading the whipped cream around the top and sides of the cream.
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We decorated the top with strawberries sliced in half.
We decorated the top with strawberries sliced in half.
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Pipe the sides of the cake with more whipped cream.
Pipe the sides of the cake with more whipped cream.
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Finish adding the rest of the strawberries to the top.
Finish adding the rest of the strawberries to the top.
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Cake Duchess is where you can follow the baking adventures of me! Hi! I'm Lora, a mom of two cuties in South Florida. I got into all this baking mess because of them. 
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
I love this kind of cake its just like we make it! Gorgeous!
What a lovely tribute! I would be happy to celebrate with a slice of this incredible cake.
What a gorgeous cake
Love the strawberries on top. Hello Teresa! Hello Mr. Cake Duke! Besos, Lora. xoxo
Hi Lora
!
! Your sister in law is lucky to have you to make her delicious cake! This one looks amazing with the yummy filling and beautiful berries on top! Love all the photos 
!
Your cake is beautiful! A woman deserves Cake AND earrings for her b-day, but I would settle for the cake not being a jewelry person myself
I agree with you, birthday cake is more important than earrings. Love your cake, yum!
Ma che BUONO….Dai facciamo un libro di cucina insieme ; )
I would take birthday cake over earrings any day! This cake looks beautiful! I’m sure your sister-in-law appreciated it even though she didn’t get to taste it
Beautiful cake, I am sure that nobody would even come close to make that cake like she did..
Thanks for sharing, and I wish you best road to the recovery! Have a great week!
Now this is a cake! So enjoyed this post and to read that you are taking pictures and feel well enough to entertain a little is wonderful. Sorry that your sister-in-law had to miss out on a slice of this but I’m sure if she reads this post she’ll be happy to know of all the family love that went into celebrating her day and the start of your recovery.
Tell your Mother-in-Law that she and her son did an outstanding job…she raised a good baker’s assistants there and that I’m sure he’ll see to it that no one steals his Momma’s recipe and make it their own.
It’s a very pretty cake and I can only imagine how good it is. A cake made with this much love can’t help but be good.
What a beautiful cake. Love the fluffy-ness of the cake. This sounds like such a special cake that they made and I love that your hubby is decorating.
that’s nice of you to make her a cake
cake is definitely more important than earrings!!
this looks wonderful and moist!!! yummy. very pretty presentation, too!
Smile. How adorable is this post! I love family recipes, and I think you and your family are just adorable. Thank you for sharing this birthday cake, my dear. I think a good cake is far better than earrings. I hope you have a wonderful week of healing and happiness. Love from Austin.
Lora, thanks for visiting my blog. It’s amazing how many great blogs there are out there and how few we’re familiar with. I have to say I’m impressed with all the wonderful, beautiful recipes you feature. I’m sure I don’t want to miss any, in the future. I loved every recipe I looked at and will definitely come back to reproduce some of your creations. My, part Sicilian friend… as they said in the movie The Godfather, I’m glad to “drop the gun and take the cannoli”
Lovely…I can’t get over how delicious this looks.
Have a fantastic week
I love whipped cream frosting that is my most favorite!! The cake looks yummy-licious!
Does Teresa want to visit Indiana before she heads back to Italy????? WOW! What a fabulous celebratory cake…this one trumps anything chocolate in my book. Beautiful, Lora.
Such a beautiful, mouthwatering cake. The cake is even more special. because it was made by a mother and decorated by her son, with much love!
Maybe someone should do a family cookbook!
The end of your surgery is definitely something to celebrate! I love any cake topped with whipped cream:-)
What a beautiful cake! I would take this cake over earrings. Haha! I love that your mother in law and husband worked together on it. Such a great memory to have. Happy to hear you are on the road to recovery.
What a beautiful and delicious cake. Love strawberries and cream. Would love some gold earrings, too.
Oh yum! That looks magnificent! Such a special celebration cake!
Wow that such a sweet family effort!
This cake, as always, looks awesome. I love anything with strawberries. And you’re sooooo right, nothing, NOTHING beats homemade whipped cream.
wonderful cake and super cute hubbie!
This is the kind of cake I want for my birthday. Simply elegant and packed with lots of love.
Oh yes! A cake made with so much love is far better! But gold earrings are pretty darn nice too. The cake looks delectable! Homemade whip cream is the best. Reminds me of my Mom – she is always telling me not to give away my recipes. Hope you are doing well! xoxo
beautiful!!
This is perhaps too pretty. Stop being so awesome. (Love it)
This cake was in my dreams last night! hehehe, and I love the idea of using pudding from a box! quick and eaasy and they do taste yummy!
I love the idea of the tradition of this cake. It is just beautiful and I can just imagine the wonderful taste with the syrup and creamy filling.
Lora! Such a beautiful and summery looking cake! I am bookmarking this for the first batch of strawberries from the garden! Can’t wait!
Happy Easter!
What a beautiful cake! Love using the sugar syrup and liqueur with pudding in between. Magnificent!
So much love went into that cake:) Now wonder it looks so beautiful and delicious!
Lora, that is so sweet of you to make your sister in law a cake, even from so far away. I, too, didn’t get a cake for my birthday last year and am still wondering why! Like your sister in law, though, I did get a nice piece of jewelry and couldn’t complain
Thanks for being your sweet self and sharing this delicious creation, Lora! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
I love that your hubby and his mom got to make a cake together! So sweet!
It looks wonderful! I think I want to drink that syrup right out of the bottle!!!
Oh my goodness Lora – we were just tweeting and I decided to pop in and say hello! Boy am I glad I did, Duchess of cakes you truly are – what a talent!!
Will be back as soon as I wipe up this drool….
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Wishing you a great week as well
This birthday cake looks perfect! A birthday without a cake is so sad…I am glad you were thinking of your sister-in-law! I think if I lived in Italy though, I could skip a cake if my husband always bought me fancy Italian shoes 
Is that your hubs helping make the cake? How cute is he?! Seriously…this cake looks amazing
This cake sounds & looks wonderful, Lora! And how sweet of you to remember your sister in law’s big day in the midst of your trials. Turning 40 was a big deal to me…so I’m sure she loved the extra attention you brought to her special day via your blog! Hope you are feeling better and we can do a cookie class or something fun soon!
Denise @ Creative Kitchen
I love that you have your MIL there baking with you. What a beautiful cake. I want to make it for my friend’s birthday!!
Can I be your sister in law?
Great cake!! My mom used to make one like that for my birthdays..I miss that!
Wow, it looks incredible. Yum… now you do live close enough to share…
This makes me wish it were MY birthday… and that I was Italian.
Lora…I am sure your SIL will be happy reading this. A family team work is a joy , making this cake for her
I wish my family will work together in making my birthday cake….great family.
Have a nice day Lora,
Elin
This is such a lovely cake!!
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