Mangia Bene Pasta
Easter Lamb Cake
"Torta di Agnello"
(Serves 8-10)
To make the lamb cake you will need a 2-piece lamb cake mold approximately 10- by 4-inch in size.
Cake:
2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup finely ground nuts
Icing:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
6 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon almond extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
To Decorate:
Currants or raisins
Coconut, tinted green
Jelly beans
Ribbon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease lamb cake mold and dust it with flour.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar.
Beat in the zest, vanilla, and almond extracts.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Beat in the flour mixture. Fold in the nuts.
Spoon the batter into the bottom half of the mold.
Place the top piece of the mold on, according to pan directions.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Remove the mold to a rack to cool completely.
To make the icing:
In a bowl, beat the shortening and butter until smooth.
Gradually beat in the sugar.
Add the almond extract.
The icing should be firm enough to pipe through a pastry bag.
Remove the cake from the mold.
Place upright on a platter, using a little icing to adhere it to the platter.
Fill a pastry bag with a medium star tip and icing.
Decorate to simulate wool all over the cake.
Use currants or raisins for eyes.
Mound tinted coconut around base of cake as grass.
Press jelly beans into coconut.
Tie a ribbon carefully around the neck.
To serve, cut into thin slices.
Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake can also be baked in a 11 x 13-inch rectangular pan.
Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour. When cake is cool, frost with Cream Cheese Icing.
Cake:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
Mix all the ingredients together until well blended.
Proceed with directions for baking and decorating as outlined for Traditional Lamb Cake.
Cream Cheese Icing:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups confectioners sugar
Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients together until smooth.
Proceed in the same manner as above to decorate the Lamb Cake.