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Soft pine nut cake

⏱ 60 min🍳 35 min👤 8 pp★★☆☆☆

Sometimes the most delicious cakes really are the simplest, such as this one: a fluffy sponge cake made even more delicious by a sprinkling of pine nuts on the surface, and their inclusion as part of the cake mixture itself. Prepare it in the evening for your breakfast the next day: it's great dipped in milk! You can also cut it into slices to freeze individually, so as to always have one ready to eat when you feel the urge. Or, store it in an airtight container: it will last a few days and will keep you company for breakfast after breakfast!

Ingredients

Nutritional values 420 kcal / serving
Protein
7g
Carbohydrates
48g
Fat
24g
Fiber
1g

* approximate values per serving

Information
60 minutes Total time
35 minutes Active time
Serves 8 persons
★★☆☆☆ Medium difficulty

Preparation

Beat together the softened butter and sugar. Add the eggs, flour and starch and mix together once again. Finish off with half a cup of milk, half the pine nuts, the grated zest of a lemon, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and the baking powder. Mix everything together well. Pour the mixture into a baking tin which you have previously buttered and sprinkled with flour. Bake at 180°C for 35 minutes. Decorate with the remaining pine nuts and a generous sprinkling of icing sugar.

Tips
Always keep a packet of pine nuts in your store cupboard: they will come in useful for cheering up a main course, for making meatballs, or come up trumps when you're making a fruit cake!
Trivia
Pine nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, but also in vitamin E, iron and phosphorus, zinc and magnesium. They may only be small in stature, but they're miraculously good for our health. Be careful not to eat too many of them, however, if you are on a diet!

Step by step

Ingredients
Ingredients
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Additional information

Soft Pine Nut Cake with Added Dried Fruit

A variant of the Soft Pine Nut Cake includes the addition of dried fruit, such as walnuts or almonds, which further enriches the flavor and texture of the dessert. To make it, simply finely chop the chosen dried fruit and incorporate it into the batter along with the pine nuts. This version not only offers a contrast in texture but also adds additional nutrients and flavors, making the cake even more interesting. Dried fruit is known for its beneficial properties, such as containing healthy fats and fiber. Moreover, this variant is perfect for those who want to surprise their guests with a dessert that deviates from tradition while still maintaining the softness and sweetness of the original recipe.

Soft Pine Nut Cake Ligurian Style

The Soft Pine Nut Cake can be reinterpreted in a Ligurian style, a region famous for the use of this precious ingredient. In this variant, you can enrich the batter with a bit of liqueur, such as limoncello, to give a touch of freshness and an unmistakable aroma. The preparation remains similar, but you might also consider adding a lemon cream as a filling to further enhance the flavors. This dessert is perfect for special occasions and represents a way to bring a piece of Ligurian tradition to the table, making every bite a journey through the flavors of the Mediterranean.

Light Soft Pine Nut Cake without Butter

For those who desire a lighter version of the Soft Pine Nut Cake, it can be prepared without butter, replacing it with Greek yogurt or seed oil. This not only reduces the caloric content but also gives a unique softness to the dessert. Replacing butter with yogurt helps keep the cake moist and fluffy, while seed oil ensures a neutral flavor that does not overpower the other ingredients. Additionally, you might consider reducing the amount of sugar by using natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup. This variant is perfect for those who want to enjoy a dessert without sacrificing their diet, while still savoring a delicious and satisfying flavor.

Benefits of Soft Pine Nut Cake: Properties of Pine Nuts and Calories

Pine nuts, the main ingredient of this Soft Pine Nut Cake, are rich in nutrients and provide numerous health benefits. They are an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamins E, K, and magnesium. Due to their content of monounsaturated fatty acids, they help maintain a healthy heart and reduce bad cholesterol. Furthermore, pine nuts contain antioxidants that can help combat cellular aging. The Soft Pine Nut Cake has a caloric content of about 300-350 calories per serving, depending on the ingredients used. This makes it a dessert to enjoy in moderation, but without guilt, especially if prepared with quality ingredients.

Can the Soft Pine Nut Cake be Frozen?

Yes, the Soft Pine Nut Cake can be frozen without any problems. It is advisable to do so after the cake has completely cooled. To freeze it, it is important to wrap it well in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to protect it from moisture and unpleasant odors from the freezer. When you want to enjoy it, simply take it out and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Alternatively, you can slightly warm it in the oven to regain its original softness. Freezing the cake is an excellent solution to preserve its freshness and to always have a ready-to-use dessert on hand.