What is a Torta Paradiso?
Torta Paradiso translates to ‘soft heaven cake’ and it definitely lives up to its name. It is rumored that it got its origin and name in the 1800s after a friar in Pavia made the cake for the monastery, and the other friars rejoiced that it was a ‘slice of paradise.’ Similar to a sponge or chiffon cake, the torta paradiso is light and airy and is known for its versatility. Though there are several variations, it is primarily made of 3 main ingredients: flour, sugar, and butter. It’s delicate texture and flavor make it a great snack or breakfast. And while it’s great on its own, it also works well with fillings, creams, custards, or even fruit. With both kids and adults clamoring over it, it’s no wonder torta paradiso is a classic favorite. There are so many great variations, it was difficult for us to only pick a handful of our favorite recipes…
1. Traditional Soft Recipe
We love this recipe from Simona at tavolartegusto, which she has perfected over the years. She started with a very traditional recipe, improving it over time, by making it a melt-in-your-mouth kind of cake. Not only is it so delicate, fragrant, and soft, but it’s also a fairly quick and easy cake to make (with a few secrets and tips).
One of the most important aspects of this recipe are the quality and measurements of the actual ingredients. Examples are making sure you use the highest quality and all natural butter, powdered sugar, and lemons. Nothing synthetic like vanilla flavored sugar or store-bought lemon juice. Also making sure to weigh specific ingredients like the egg yolks to make sure the ratios are correct.
There are also techniques to perfecting the cake. Making sure only room temperature ingredients are used before combining everything. How to perfect your whipped butter, and also how to slowly fold in the other ingredients. And the recipe even recommends cooling the cake upside down to ensure the top stays even. It’s seriously perfection in a cake form!
Get the full recipe and directions from Tavolartegusto
2. Kinder Paradiso
We can’t talk about this cake without discussing a recipe that replicates the Kinder Paradiso version. If you’re not familiar with this family favorite, it’s a prefect pre-packaged cake snack made of 2 sponge cake layers with a milk cream filling sandwiched in the middle. I know what you’re thinking, if the pre-packaged snack is so perfect, then why do you need a recipe to replicate it? Well, actually making it in giant size and having it fresh out of the oven is the exact reason how you can make a perfect cake even more perfect. Plus the filling in this is made with cold cream, honey, and condensed milk. Did we mention we’re obsessed with anything containing condensed milk? It’s no wonder we love this replica recipe so much!
Get the full recipe and directions from Misya.
3. Torta Paradiso Bimby / Thermomix
Here’s a version of the cake you can make with or without a Thermomix / Bimby. Much like other recipes we’ve seen, it claims its melt-in-your-mouth texture comes from high quality raw ingredients and eggs. With a little bit of lemon zest and vanilla flavoring, its simple ingredients make it a great base for icing sugar or even Nutella. As mentioned there are 2 recipes to check out: one with the Bimby and one without.
Get the full recipe and directions from Giallo Zafferano.
4. Without Butter (Senza Burro)
It’s no secret that the original version has a lot of butter in it. For some who are maybe wanting a less-guilty version, we recommend this recipe that has no butter. To maintain the moisture of the cake, this recipe uses water and sunflower oil instead of butter. This way you still get a decadent cake with a little less calories!
Get the full recipe and directions from Giallo Zafferano.
5. Paradise Cake with Marscapone and Berries
All of the recipes we’ve shared have been the basic flavors, which are definitely delicious. But if you’re looking to spice it up a bit we recommend this recipe with a luxurious fruit filling. This cake is double-layered with a filling of creamy marscapone and fresh blueberries. Its purple center is so beautiful and rustic there’s no need to cover this cake in icing or powdered sugar. And if blueberries aren’t your thing, you can swap them for strawberries or blackberries, of even a medley.
Get the full recipe and directions from The Lemon Squeezy.
Just talking about these recipes makes me want to start baking! The hard part is deciding which one I want to make since they’re all so good. Which torta paradiso recipe do you think you’ll try first? If you liked this post, we recommend checking out our favorite Ciambellone Recipes post. There are some amazing cake recipes there, so definitely check it out! Are there other cakes you would like to see recipes for?
