Italian Desserts Recipes - Prune Cake (Torta di Prugne) Recipe

Ingredients                                 

 Cake:

• 225 g/8 oz/1 cup unsalted (sweet) butter

• 275 g/10 oz caster (superfine) sugar

• 3 eggs, separated

• 450 g/1lb/4 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• 5 ml/1 tsp each ground cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon

• 5 ml/1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp salt

• 5 ml/1 tsp baking powder

• 250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup single (light) cream

• 225 g/8 oz ready-to-eat prunes, stoned (pitted) and chopped finely

• 15 ml/1 tbsp butter for greasing

Filling:

• 250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup single (light) cream

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 3 egg yolks

• 225 g/8 oz ready-to-eat prunes, stoned (pitted) and chopped

• 30 ml/2 tbsp grated orange rind

• 5 ml/1 tsp vanilla essence (extract)

• Chopped nuts, to decorate

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Method:

1. Make the cake. Cream the butter and sugar together and beat in the egg yolks.

2. Stir in the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda, salt and baking powder. Add the cream and whisked egg whites.

3. Fold in the chopped prunes. Pour into three greased and floured 20 cm/8 in sandwich tins (pans).

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 25-30 minutes. Turn on to wire racks to cool.

5. Make the filling. Mix together all the ingredients except the nuts. Place in a saucepan and cook until thickened.

6. Use to sandwich the cake layers together and spread the remainder on top. Sprinkle with chopped nuts to decorate.