Desserts
A classic Italian butter cake with a feather-light crumb, delicate lemon-vanilla aroma, and a soft snowfall of powdered sugar. Elegant, simple, and perfect with tea or coffee. Serves: 8 Dish type: Italian dessert cake
Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F. Butter and lightly flour a 22 cm / 9 in round cake pan, or line the base with parchment.
Sift together the cake flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt. This helps the cake stay airy and lump-free.
In a large bowl, beat the soft butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until very pale, fluffy, and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, keep going; it will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.
Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the butter mixture in 2 to 3 additions. Use a spatula and gentle upward motions so the batter stays light.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is golden, springy in the center, and a skewer comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack and cool completely.
When fully cool, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Slice and serve on its own, or with softly whipped cream and fresh berries.
Garnish / serving suggestion
Serve with raspberries, strawberries, or a spoonful of lightly whipped cream. A tiny extra grating of lemon zest makes it look especially refined.
Notes
Do not overmix once the flour goes in. Room-temperature eggs and very soft butter give the best volume. For an extra tender crumb, let the cake rest 1 hour before slicing.