Venetian Amaretto Zuccotto Cake

This classic Italian dessert recipe will give you a great taste of old Italy.

Ingredients:

• Non stick baking spray
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 cup amaretto liquor
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and quartered
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips
• Sweetened whipped cream, as accompaniment

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a bundt pan by spraying with nonstick spray. Place sugar, butter, and almond paste in a large mixing bowl, and beat on high for 2 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Turn speed to low and add flour mixture to combine. Add amaretto, then milk, and beat on high for 2 minutes scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat on high for 3 more minutes. Remove bowl from mixer, and fold in almonds, cherries, and chocolate mini chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until skewer comes out clean. Cool cake before removing from pan. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Number of Servings: 12

Notes from the Cook: The Italian word "zucca" means pumpkin. Traditionally, a zuccotto dessert is a chocolate filled sponge cake, with almonds and cherries that is assembled in a special mold. This cake embodies the flavors and shape of that traditional dessert, yet is easily baked in a bundt pan. My Italian grandparents would say, "Molto Buono".