Swirl Cake

Name: Swirl Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2 cups; Sugar ¾ cup; Sunflower seed oil 5 tbsp; Whole milk 0.375 cup; Eggs (about 3) 5.6 oz; Baking powder 3 ½ tsp; Vanilla bean 1; Type 00 flour ¼ cup; Egg yolks (about 2) 2 tbsp; Sugar &frac13; cup; Whole milk 1.1 cups; Lemon peel 1

it de fr es br

540

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 540
Carbohydrates g 83.2
of which sugars g 47.6
Protein g 11.5
Fats g 17.9
of which saturated fat g 3.96
Fiber g 1.5
Cholesterol mg 172
Sodium mg 69

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Silvia Sciattella

Swirl cake, or "Torta Girella," is a classic delight from Northern and Central Italy that brings some fun to your table with its spiral design. Really, it's a tall and soft cake with a creamy custard swirl at its center—pretty simple but super satisfying. Perfect for breakfast or a mid-afternoon merenda. Which is great. Its gentle sweetness? Loved by both kids and adults. The style is inspired by the popular Italian snack "girelle," a spiral roll filled with tender hazelnut cream. You know, the homemade version uses a leavened sweet dough, similar to Italian sweet brioche rolls, but here, you get a cake that’s moist and quite impressive to slice into. Really really nice.

It’s not as heavy as a dense marble cake or as sticky as a cinnamon swirl cake—it hits that sweet spot where every bite feels special, but not too rich to have with your morning coffee. Plus, in Italy, families often whip up this cake when they want something more playful than regular bread or a plain cake. The layers and swirls aren't just for show—they make every piece unique, sometimes with a sweet pop of custard, sometimes with more airy dough.

Fans of swirl cake might also explore other Italian treats, like little chocolate swirl cake delights or the golden sweet rolls you find in bakeries across Milan and Florence. And look, the spiral in the middle always brings a smile, and it's a fun project for kids who love decorating. So, if you're into cake decorating ideas or looking for new cake swirl techniques, this cake fits perfectly with a big family gathering, surrounded by espresso cups and good conversation.

And you know what? Fans of vanilla swirl cake or marble pound cake will enjoy the Italian twist on these classics, especially since the flavors are so delicate and the texture remains light. Baking from scratch gives you a cake that tastes as good as it looks—nothing too fancy, just simple, joyful Italian baking at its best. Seriously good.

INGREDIENTS

540

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 9-inch pan: Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g); Sugar ¾ cup (180 g); Sunflower seed oil 5 tbsp (70 g); Whole milk 0.375 cup (90 g); Eggs 5.6 oz (160 g) - (about 3); Baking powder 3 ½ tsp (16 g); Vanilla bean 1

for the cream: Type 00 flour ¼ cup (30 g); Egg yolks 2 tbsp (30 g) - (about 2); Sugar ⅓ cup (70 g); Whole milk 1.1 cups (260 g); Lemon peel 1

Preparation

How to prepare Swirl Cake

To make the swirl cake, start by preparing the cream: heat the milk in a pot with the lemon peel 1. Meanwhile, in a bowl, pour the egg yolks 2 and sugar 3.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar 4 with an electric mixer until they are thick and frothy 5. Gradually add the sifted flour and mix; then, slowly pour in the hot milk, filtering it through a sieve to retain the lemon peel 6.

Stir 7, pour the cream back into the saucepan, and return it to the heat 8, cooking it for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, until it has thickened 9.

Then transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap 10, and let it cool first at room temperature and then in the fridge. Now prepare the cake: in a mixing bowl, pour the eggs with the sugar 11, add the vanilla bean seeds, and beat them with an electric mixer 12 until thick and frothy.

Slowly add the oil 13, milk 14, and finally the flour and baking powder 15.

Pour the batter into a 9-inch springform pan, previously buttered and floured or lined with parchment paper 16; smooth it out with a spatula if necessary. At this point, take the already completely cooled cream and place it in a piping bag 17 without a nozzle 18.

Create a spiral on top of the batter 19 starting from the center of the cake 20. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 35-40 minutes. Once baked, take out your swirl cake and let it cool slightly before serving 21!