My mother’s vanilla breakfast cake (La torta alla vaniglia di mia madre)

I have called this a breakfast cake because my mother, Alba, always used to make it on a weekend and serve it for breakfast with a pot of chocolate-hazelnut spread and a glass of cold milk. I have kept the tradition going with my children.

Credit: Haarala Hamilton / Bloomsbury

• serves

  8

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

When I was a little boy, it used to last a whole week, but in my house we are lucky if it lasts a couple of days. It is so easy to do and takes minutes to prepare. You can substitute the vanilla with the finely grated zest of an unwaxed orange or lemon, if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 175 g salted butter, softened, plus more for the tin
• 175 g caster sugar
• 175 g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 50 g almond meal (ground almonds)
• chocolate spread, to serve

Cooling time: 1 hour 10 minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/Gas 3. Butter a 18cm, deep, round loose-based cake tin. Line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment, butter the parchment, then set aside.
2. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl and use an electric whisk to mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and gently tap on a flat surface a couple of times, allowing any air bubbles to disappear. Level the top using a flexible spatula and place in the centre of the oven for 1½ hours, as this cake is cooked very slowly at a fairly gentle temperature.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
4. Turn out on to a wire rack and cool completely for about 1 hour.
5. Serve with a glass of cold milk and do not forget the chocolate spread!

Recipe and image from Gino's Italy: Like Mamma Used to Make by Gino D'Acampo (Bloomsbury, HB $44.99)

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

When I was a little boy, it used to last a whole week, but in my house we are lucky if it lasts a couple of days. It is so easy to do and takes minutes to prepare. You can substitute the vanilla with the finely grated zest of an unwaxed orange or lemon, if you prefer.