Dedicated to mamma.
Italian amaretti cookies soaked in Vermouth are layered in the center of a citrus flavored sponge cake and topped with apricot jam to create this stunning one bowl amaretti cake!
Have you ever asked someone for a recipe only to have it flop when you tried to recreate it? And you ask yourself, how is it possible when you followed the recipe (which she dictated to you verbally) to a T?
This was my mother’s experience after she enjoyed this amaretti cake several decades ago. An elderly Italian woman shared this torta di amaretti during coffee time at a local community center. To this day, my mother still raves about it.
And so I knew that I had to get this recipe right, for my mother.
After a couple of attempts, I discovered that an ingredient was most likely missing when this dear woman recited the recipe verbally to my mother. Intentional or not? We’ll never know of course but with a bit of tweaking with the quantities and ingredients, the cake turned out beautifully. And most importantly, my mother approved.
What type of amaretti cookies work best for this recipe?
Other than the basic cake ingredients that you most likely already have on hand in your pantry (all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs etc…) the only specialized ingredient you will have to purchase are Italian amaretti cookies.
Unlike the homemade version such as my mother’s recipe which makes chewy cookies, store bought amaretti (imported from Italy) are dry and crisp and hold up well when soaked in Vermouth. You will find these in any Italian grocery store in the cookie aisle.
If you prefer not soaking your amaretti in alcohol, please consult my recipe notes further below for possible substitutions.
List of Ingredients
- Eggs: I used 5 large sized eggs (one seems to have rolled away in the photo!)
- Granulated sugar
- Olive oil: or vegetable oil if you prefer
- Vanilla extract
- Orange and lemon: zest of and juiced
- Milk: preferably whole milk
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Apricot jam: orange jam may be used instead
- Not shown: milk
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs; sugar and oil until pale and frothy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, zest and juice of the orange and lemon; and milk.
- Sift the all-purpose flour; baking powder and salt.
- Use a spatula to gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, do not over stir.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Soak the amaretti cookies in the vermouth and place over the batter in the pan.
- Pour the remaining batter evenly over the amaretti cookies.
- Heat the apricot jam in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it melts.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the jam over the surface of the cake. It is ok if it is not completely covered.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and wait 10 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.
- Let cool completely before serving.
Recipe Notes
-Substitute orange jam for the apricot jam.
-Soak the amaretti cookies in alcohol of your choice including rum; Amaretto or coffee liqueur.
-If you prefer omitting the alcohol, dredge the cookies in coffee instead.
-Keep well wrapped at room temperature for up to 5 days.
-Well wrapped, this cake may be frozen for up to 1 month.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know if you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Here are more Italian cake recipes for you to check out!
- Nonna’s Sponge Cake
- Italian Marble Bundt Cake
- Gluten Free Pan di Spagna Recipe
- Sicilian Hazelnut Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Blueberry Olive Oil Cake
- Italian Apple Yogurt Cake
- Sicilian Pistachio and Nutella Cake
- Pistachio Orange Polenta Cake
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon, zest of and juiced
- 1 orange, zest of and juiced
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100 grams amaretti cookies about ½ package
- ½ cup Vermouth
- ½ cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring form pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs; sugar and oil until pale and frothy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, zest and juice of the orange and lemon; and milk..
- Sift the all-purpose flour; baking powder and salt. Use a spatula to gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, do not over stir.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Soak the amaretti cookies in the vermouth and place over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining batter evenly over the amaretti cookies.
- Heat the apricot jam in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it melts. Use a spoon to drizzle the jam over the surface of the cake. It is ok if it is not completely covered.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and wait 10 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.Let cool completely before serving.
Notes
-Soak the amaretti cookies in alcohol of your choice including rum; Amaretto or coffee liqueur.
-If you prefer omitting the alcohol, dip the cookies in coffee instead. Storage -Keep well wrapped at room temperature for up to 5 days.
-Well wrapped, this cake may be frozen for up to 1 month.
mona
isn’t 4 cups flour too much for a 9inch cake pan ?
Nadia
Hi Mona, actually the cake turns out quite high and fills out the pan so it does work out!
Janet
Looks great! Are you using dry or sweet Vermouth?
Nadia
Great question Janet, I used sweet Vermouth!
Janet Contursi
Thank you. Trying it soon!
Nadia
Hope you enjoy it!