Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

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This Italian Mother-in-Law Cake also known as la Torta della Suocera is a quick and easy cake. Perfect for Breakfast or Snack and for serving unexpected guests, even your Mother-in-Law! Add a dusting of powdered sugar and it’s ready to serve.

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (1)

If there’s one thing I learned from living in Italy all these years it’s that cake is a way to show off your baking ability. Everyone is proud of their creation. Whether you serve it as a Breakfast treat with a caffe latte or in the afternoon with an espresso.

Table of Contents

How to make it

In a large bowl beat together the eggs, yolk and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat on low to combine.

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2)

Add the flour, baking powder and salt beat for about 1 minute. Pour into the prepared pan and bake.

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (3)

Let the cake slightly cool in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (4)

Why is it called Mother-in-Law Cake?

Apparently the reason it is called this is because it can be made very quickly, so when your Mother-in-law phones at the last minute to say she is on her way, you can bake her a quick delicious cake in no time!

How to Make Cake Flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

Why use whole or heavy cream?

Whole, heavy or whipping cream all have a higher fat content (around 30%) then lower fat or half and half cream. The higher fat is needed since this recipes does not contain butter or oil. If you use a lower fat cream I cannot guarantee the results.

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (5)

What makes a cake fall?

  • There are a lot a reasons a cake may fall, but the most common ones are, your oven temperature is off, you can always check it with an oven thermometer to check this. You open the oven door too early.
  • Once the batter is mixed it should be baked, letting a cake batter sit too long can cause it to fall. The baking powder or baking soda usually start acting immediately and will only last for a very short period of time, therefore if the cake batter is left to stand before baking then there is always a risk that the baking powder or soda will have expired by the time that the cake goes into the oven.
  • Your baking powder or soda has expired and is no long active.
  • The pan size might not be the correct size, sometimes using a bundt pan will help.

How To Store The Cake

As long as the cake is unfrosted it should be kept at room temperature. Keep it in a cake container or well wrapped. It will keep for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, wrap tightly to keep it from drying out. It will keep for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.

How To Freeze The Cake

Be sure to cool the cake completely then wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, place it in a freeze safe bag. The cake will keep for up to 2 months. When ready to thaw place the wrapped cake in the refrigerator to thaw before serving.

More Delicious Italian Cakes

  • Italian Lemon Bundt Cake
  • Italian Sponge Cake
  • Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
  • Easy Italian Apple Cake

So if you are looking for an easy cake to make whether it’s for your mother-in-law or not, I hope you try this Italian Mother-in-Law Cake and let me know how it is. Enjoy!

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (6)

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (7)

Italian Mother-in-Law Cake

Rosemary Molloy

This Italian Mother-in-Law Cake also known as la Torta della Suocera is a quick and easy cake. Perfect for Breakfast or Snack.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 223 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (112 grams total)
  • ¾ cup + 2 ½ tablespoons whole/heavy/whipping cream (200 grams total)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • cups cake flour*
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt

*To make homemade cake flour, for every cup of flour remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, sift together.

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven to 340F (170C). Grease and flour an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake pan.

    • In a large bowl (or stand up mixer using the whisk attachment) beat together the eggs, yolk and sugar until light and fluffy. About 4-5 minutes. Add the cream and vanilla and beat on low to combine.

    • Add the flour, baking powder and salt beat for 1 minute. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, check for doneness with a toothpick.

    • Let the cake slightly cool (about 10 minutes) in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!

    Notes

    To store the cake – as long as the cake is unfrosted it should be kept at room temperature. Keep it in a cake container or well wrapped. It will keep for up to 3 days. If you store it in the fridge, wrap tightly to keep it from drying out. It will keep for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.

    To freeze the cake – be sure to cool the cake completely then wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, place it in a freeze safe bag. The cake will keep for up to 2 months. When ready to thaw place the wrapped cake in the refrigerator to thaw before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

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    1. Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (8)
      I think it’s pretty hilarious how these mother in law stressors seem to transcend all cultures/countries/languages. Having some irritations with my own MIL, that made me smile!

      On a different note, in our household we go wild for some nice homemade whipped cream… so to pour this into the batter, where it disappears into the cake… I don’t know how I feel about that! 😆 May just go with the lemon ricotta cake and have my whipped cream on top, where I can see it. 😃

      Reply

      1. Hi LP, I was lucky I had a wonderful MIL, why not have the cream in the batter and on top? :), although the lemon ricotta is a good idea too! Take care and have a great weekend!

        Reply

    2. Is this a moist cake and what do you think about adding lemon or almond flavoring?

      Reply

      1. Hi JoAnn, yes it is quite moist and either flavouring would be a good idea. I hope you enjoy it! Take care.

        Reply

    3. Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (9)
      This cake was soooo easy and quick and my family loved it so much it was literally gone in minutes. This one is going in my personal keep recipe book.

      Reply

      1. Hi Jen, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care!

        Reply

    4. I want to try making this soon…and was curious if the batter can hold the addition of fresh blueberries?

      Reply

      1. I would say it could. Let me know how it goes. Take care!

        Reply

      2. Will erythritol work as a sugar substitute?

        Reply

        1. Hi Joy, I can’t really say because I have never used a sugar substitute before. If you try it let me know how it turned out. Take care!

    5. Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (10)
      Very easy to make. Very good. Will definitely make again.

      Reply

      1. Hi Lorraine, thanks so much, so glad you liked it. Take care and have a great weekend!

        Reply

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    Italian Mother-in-Law Cake Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the name of the cake traditionally eaten in Italy? ›

    Panettone: history and characteristics of this italian cake. People everywhere eat panettone while celebrating their Christmas holidays, perhaps without knowing that the word Panettone comes from the Milanese dialect 'Pan del ton', which means 'luxurybread'. Yes, the Panettone is a local speciality.

    What is Italian rum cake made of? ›

    The base consists of Pan di Spagna (“bread of Spain”), a light and airy sponge cake, which is moistened with a rum soak, filled with two layers of cream — be it vanilla, chocolate or a combination of the two — covered in stabilized whipped cream, decorated with nuts such as slivered almonds and decorated in some ...

    How to substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour? ›

    Add an extra 2 tablespoons per cup of cake flour to equal the quantity in 1 cup of AP flour. If you're substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour, you'll want to reverse these ratios: Use 2 tablespoons less AP flour per cup of cake flour, and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup.

    How long does cake stay fresh? ›

    Most cakes can be stored in a freezer for up to one month, or in the fridge for one week. Cakes are best sliced frozen for crisp edges, but for the best flavor, allow your leftover cake to hang at room temperature for thirty minutes to an hour before digging in.

    What is the famous dessert of Italy? ›

    Perhaps the most iconic Italian dessert, tiramisu appears on menus at restaurants not only throughout Italy but also all over the world.

    What do Italians call cake? ›

    dolce, torta, pasta. a chocolate cake un dolce di cioccolata. (Translation of cake from the Cambridge English-Italian Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

    What is funeral cake made of? ›

    Technically, funeral cake is a chocolate sheet cake with fudge icing and topped with crunchy pecans and big enough to feed a crowd—which you may recognize as Texas Sheet Cake.

    What is Elvis Presley cake? ›

    You don't have to be Young and Beautiful to appreciate the Elvis Presley Cake. After one bite, you'll be saying that you Can't Help Falling in Love with how easy it is to make this fruity cake, which has a pineapple topping and creamy, decadent cream cheese frosting.

    What is a godfather cake? ›

    A two-tier Godfather themed cake featuring all hand-modeled and edible elements from the classic movie. The cake is lemon chiffon with a delicious raspberry butter-cream filling, covered in dark chocolate ganache and LMM fondant.

    Is Bob's Red Mill pastry flour cake flour? ›

    Because our pastry flour has less protein than all purpose flour, it's ideal for many lighter baking purposes. In addition to making pastry, it can be used in place of cake flour in your favorite cake recipes. It's also a wonderful flour for biscuits, scones, cookies, muffins, pound cake and more.

    Is it better to use cake flour or all-purpose flour? ›

    A cake with all-purpose flour substituted for cake flour is more likely to have a slightly coarser crumb, while a cake made with cake flour will have a finer, more even crumb and enhanced tenderness. Our Traditional Angel Food Cake is a good example.

    Can I eat a 2 week old cake? ›

    “You'll want to store a cake in the fridge with plastic wrap against the cut part (of the cake) to prevent the cake from drying out,” says Edwards, adding that store-bought cakes may last longer in the fridge, but homemade cakes should typically be consumed in five to seven days.

    When to wrap cake after baking? ›

    You must do this as soon as they are out of the oven, otherwise your cakes will definitely get soggy. Immediately following, cover the cakes tightly with plastic wrap and put aside to cool. If you have a bad recipe or have over-baked your cakes, this will not rescue them from being doomed to dry-ness.

    Is it better to bake a cake the day before? ›

    Instead, keep your cakes at room temperature. (Though if you're stacking layers, chill them briefly before assembling the final cake — it'll make things easier.) Stay away for one to three days: Flavors will deepen after one day, and only strengthen the longer you wait.

    What is the difference between pandoro and panettone cake? ›

    The main difference between pandoro and panettone lies in the shape, an eight-pointed star for the former and a cylinder with a domed top for the latter, and in their defining flavours: the pandoro is presented in all its simplicity, covered with a dusting of icing sugar, while the panettone is enriched with candied ...

    Is panettone bread or cake? ›

    Instantly recognisable for its tall, domed shape, panettone is more a bread than a cake, its sweet dough studded with candied fruits and raisins. Popular worldwide, it's usually pinpointed for its two main associations: with Christmas and with Italy.

    What cake is similar to panettone? ›

    Buy Pandoro Christmas Cake

    It is a leavened bread, similar to Panettone, but with some distinct differences. Unlike Panettone, Pandoro is devoid of candied fruits and raisins, and it is often dusted with powdered sugar to resemble the snowy peaks of the Italian Alps.

    Is pandoro the same as pound cake? ›

    that originated in Verona. Padoro is a traditionally star. -shaped cake dusted with powdered sugar.

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