Amaretti and Chestnut Cake

Name: Amaretti and Chestnut Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Egg whites (approximately 5) 3 ¾ cups; Egg yolks (approximately 6) 1 cup; Sugar 0.7 cup; Butter at room temperature 1 cup; Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup; Chestnut flour 0.7 oz; Marrons Glacé (Candied Chestnuts) (to chop) 2.67 oz; Amaretti cookies (to crumble) 1.1 oz; Vanilla bean (the seeds) 1; Fine salt &frac13; tsp; Type 00 flour to taste; Butter to taste; Powdered sugar to taste

it de es fr br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Frau Knam

Rich flavors from Northern and Central Italy really shine in this chestnut amaretti cake. People there have been baking with chestnuts and amaretti for ages, especially during the cool autumn months. The combo of chestnut flour and those crunchy, sweet amaretti cookies gives the cake a tender crumb and a little almond kick you don’t find just anywhere. Marron glacé, those soft candied chestnuts, add a moist and almost melt-in-your-mouth texture to every slice. You end up with a cake that’s sweet without being too much, and there’s this toasty aroma that fills the kitchen—definitely something people in Italy love when it starts getting chilly. This amaretti cake is a celebration of simple, classic ingredients, and you can taste a bit of Italian tradition in every bite.

And look, imagine sitting down with a slice of chestnut cake and a cup of coffee or tea on a lazy morning. Seriously good. It’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up too. What’s great about this chestnut amaretti cake is how easy it is to whip up—no fancy tricks, just the good stuff. For real. You don’t have to fuss with complicated steps, and the ingredients do all the work. In regions like Piedmont and Tuscany, baking with chestnut flour is popular because it’s naturally a little sweet and gives a unique flavor you won’t get from regular flour. Plus, this cake is gluten-free, which is a bonus for anyone avoiding wheat. The amaretti cookies break down and blend into the cake, so you get bits of crunchy and soft in each bite. Pretty much. It’s the kind of chestnut dessert that’s perfect for sharing with friends or family—one of those treats that feels special but not over-the-top. Every time you taste it, you’ll get that cozy, homemade vibe that makes Italian sweets so so different. With each bite, you can almost imagine the beautiful landscapes of Italy, where such traditional recipes are born and cherished. Whether it's a casual gathering or a festive occasion, this cake brings a touch of Italian warmth and hospitality to your table.

INGREDIENTS

For a loaf pan 9x3 inches: Egg whites 3 ¾ cups (180 g) - (approximately 5); Egg yolks 1 cup (120 g) - (approximately 6); Sugar 0.7 cup (140 g); Butter 1 cup (110 g) - at room temperature; Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g); Chestnut flour 0.7 oz (20 g); Marrons Glacé (Candied Chestnuts) 2.67 oz (75 g) - (to chop); Amaretti cookies 1.1 oz (30 g) - (to crumble); Vanilla bean 1 - (the seeds); Fine salt ⅓ tsp (2 g)

To flour the chestnuts: Type 00 flour to taste

To grease the pan: Butter to taste

To dust: Powdered sugar to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Amaretti and Chestnut Cake

To make the amaretti and chestnut cake, first pour the egg yolks into a bowl 1 along with the softened butter 2 and 2.8 oz of sugar 3.

Add the salt 4 and the seeds from the vanilla bean 5, then mix with electric beaters until you get a smooth mixture 6. Set aside and clean the beaters thoroughly.

Pour the egg whites into another bowl and start whipping them with the clean beaters 7. When they start turning white, add the remaining 2.1 oz of sugar 8 and continue beating until stiff peaks form 9.

Now incorporate the egg whites into the yolk mixture in 2 batches, mixing gently from the bottom up 10 11. Flour the roughly chopped marron glacé and set them aside temporarily; this way, they won't sink to the bottom during baking 12.

At this point, add the all-purpose flour 13, chestnut flour 14, and crumbled amaretti 15. Combine the dry ingredients, always mixing from the bottom up.

Also add the floured chestnuts 16 and mix gently 17 to incorporate them evenly 18.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan 9x3 inches, 2.4 inches high, buttered and floured 19. Bake in a pre-heated static oven at 356°F for 35-40 minutes. Check the doneness with a toothpick, then remove from the oven and let it cool slightly in the pan 20. Once cool, unmold your amaretti and chestnut cake and dust with powdered sugar to taste 21!