Festa delle Torte: Italian Cake Party

"A party without cake is just a meeting" declared Julia Child, and I couldn't agree more!  I've been baking cakes with my family since I was a kid. Nowadays, I have a special affinity for the rustic, fruit-filled kind that you can sink your teeth into and enjoy for breakfast or whenever you need a quick pick-me-up. Of course, it's hard to resist the charms of chocolate, too. On the occasion of National Cake Day, I'm sharing three of my favorites, including a gluten-free and two diabetes-friendly versions to enjoy any time. 

 TUSCAN FIG, WALNUT, AND FENNEL SEED TORTE
(TORTA DI FICCHI, NOCI, E SEMI DI FINOCCHIO)

Serves: 14 | Serving Size: 1 (1/2-inch) slice
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 25–30 minutes

*Recipe from The Italian Diabetes Cookbook. This traditional, dense torte is a family favorite that I often make for my father. When I used to teach cake-baking workshops for beginners, I was often pleasantly surprised that people preferred this cake over the super-sugary cakes often served at birthday parties. You can make this recipe ahead of time and freeze it. It also travels well and makes a great host/hostess gift. The original version of this dish uses regular flour and sugar instead of the combination of corn and rice flour and the agave nectar in this gluten-free recipe. Try serving thin slices with breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea or coffee.

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided
1/3 cup corn flour, plus extra for pan
1/3 cup rice flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (use gluten-free, if needed)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated, divided
1/2 cup powdered stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 ounces chopped dried white figs
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided
1/2 cup low-fat, low-sugar vanilla yogurt (for garnish)
3 medium fresh figs (for garnish)
Handful of fresh mint leaves (for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease (with 1 teaspoon canola oil) and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
2. Mix corn flour, rice flour, baking powder, fennel seeds, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Beat egg yolks and stevia together in another bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Slowly beat in 1/4 cup canola oil and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then the figs and 1/2 cup walnuts.
4. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into batter, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites.
5. Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Bake cake in the center of the oven until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25–30 minutes.
6. Cool cake in the pan on a rack. Place cake on a platter and garnish with yogurt, fresh figs, and mint. Serve.

•Italian Living Tradition•
While they may seem rustic compared to the more elevated pastry creations of today’s bakers, fruit-and-nut–studded cakes like this one were served as offerings to the gods in antiquity. Homestyle or casareccio-style cakes like these are usually served at breakfast and snack time.
Choices/Exchanges 1 Fruit, 1/2 Carbohydrate, 2 Fat
Calories 190 | Calories from Fat 110
Total Fat 12g | Saturated Fat 1.4g | Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 55mg
Sodium 140mg
Potassium 190mg
Total Carbohydrate 24g | Dietary Fiber 2g | Sugars 7g
Protein 4g
Phosphorus 110mg

CINNAMON-INFUSED APPLE CAKE
(TORTA DI MELA E CANELLA)Serves: 16 | Serving Size: 1 (3/4-inch) slice
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 45 minutes*Recipe from The Italian Diabetes Cookbook. If you are looking to create a new breakfast, brunch, snack, teatime, or dessert favorite, this cake is for you. I think this cake is even better the day after it’s made; the flavors continue to strengthen. This cake will stay fresh for a few days in a sealed container at room temperature. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze it for up to a month.

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup raw agave nectar
1/3 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
3 cups almond flour
3/4 cup powdered stevia
2 teaspoons pure cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large golden delicious apples, cored, peeled, and diced
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch springform cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the agave nectar, oil, and eggs in a medium bowl, and mix to combine. Stir in the almond flour, mixing well to combine. Add the stevia, cinnamon, and vanilla, and mix well to combine. Stir in apples.
3. Spoon the batter into the greased cake pan, spread the mixture evenly, and smooth the top. Shake the pan to ensure that there are no gaps in the batter.
4. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
6. Remove cake from the pan, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve.

•Italian Living Tradition•
Rustic, farmhouse-style desserts like this one are best enjoyed in the fall. I like to serve this cake after a meal consisting of a bean soup such as Barley, Chestnut, and White Bean Minestrone (page 54), Cannellini Bean, Tomato, and Orzo Soup (page 56), or Farmhouse Vegetable and Farro Soup (page 58), and a salad such as Belgian Endive, Radicchio, and Grapefruit Salad (page 191), or Arugula Salad with Pears, Parmesan, and Cocoa Nibs (page 192).

Choices/Exchanges 1 Fruit, 1/2 Carbohydrate, 2 Fat
Calories 190 | Calories from Fat 130
Total Fat 14g | Saturated Fat 1.2g | Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 25mg
Sodium 15mg
Potassium 185mg
Total Carbohydrate 28g | Dietary Fiber 3g | Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Phosphorus 105mg

Torta Caprese