Savoia cake: the Sicilian dessert recipe dedicated to chocolate lovers

The Savoia cake is an elegant and super greedy dessert of Sicilian origin. It consists of multiple layers of biscuit dough alternated with a soft cream made with 3 different types of chocolate. Flavored with a scented rum syrup and coated with a shiny and crunchy fondant glaze, it's the perfect cake for a birthday or a special and festive occasion. Of ancient and controversial origins, legend has it that Savoia cake was prepared for the first time by the Benedictine nuns of Catania, in honor of the annexation of Sicily to the Kingdom of Italy, but there are also those who attribute this merit to a pastry chef from Palermo. Whoever was the creator of it, it doesn't matter; the Savoia cake is among the most popular desserts by chocolate lovers and, even today, among the most present cakes in Sicilian pastry shops. Despite its sumptuous appearance, it's a quick and easy dessert to prepare, you’ll just have to organize yourself well. So let’s find out how to prepare it by following our recipe step by step.

How to prepare the Savoia cake

Prepare the biscuit; collect the eggs in a planetary mixer, add the sugar, a little at a time (1), and work all with a whisk until the mixture is puffy but not too fluffy.

Sift the flour and corn starch, then gently incorporate them with a spatula, stirring with movements from the bottom up (2).

Spread the mixture on two baking sheets, lined with parchment paper, and spread it out with the help of a spatula (3). Bake in a static oven at 180 degrees C and cook for 12 minutes.

Prepare the cream; finely chop the three chocolates types and melt them in a bain-marie (4); join them and mix well.

Sift the hazelnut flour with the powdered sugar and the bitter cocoa powder, add them to the melted chocolate (5) and mix well.

Pour in the milk, add the butter at room temperature (cut into cubes) (6), mixing until the mixture will be smooth.

For the syrup; pour the water, sugar and a tablespoon of rum into a saucepan (7), then bring to a boil and let it cool to room temperature.

After the cooking time will be elapsed, take the biscuit out of the oven and let it cool. Using a plate and a wheel, make 5 discs in all (8).

At this point, start composing the dessert; place a disc on a plate and brush it with the syrup. Using a pastry bag without a nozzle, form a spiral with the cream until it covers the entire surface of the biscuit (9). Continue in this way until all ingredients will be used up, ending with a disk with the syrup.

For the icing; melt the dark chocolate with the cocoa butter. Arrange the cake on a rack, placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pour the icing and cover the surface and edges with a spatula (10). Let it solidify.

As soon as the icing has set, sprinkle the cake with a little bitter cocoa powder and serve, cutting the cake into slices (11).

How to store Savoia cake 

The Savoia cake can be preserved in the refrigerator, in a special container with an airtight seal, for a maximum of 2-3 days.