Torta di Peppina (Peppina's Cake)

Kree's Note:

Wow does this look sinfully delicious! I don't think I'll ever be able to have it with my dietary restrictions, but I just had to share it anyway! It's from Wegman's Menu magazine, and is originally from an old Italian woman named Peppina.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter , softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 large eggs , separated,at room temperature
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate , coursely chopped
• ¾ cup crushed amaretti cookie
• 1 pinch salt
• confectioners' sugar , for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-inch cake pan.
3. Line it with parchment paper and butter the paper.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder together onto wax paper.
5. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in egg yolks one at a time.
7. With a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture.
8. Stir in the chocolate and crushed cookies.
9. In another bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form.
10. With rubber spatula, fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture one at a time.
11. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
12. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
13. Let the cake cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.
14. Carefully remove the parchment paper; set another rack on top of the cake and turn right side up.
15. Cool the cake completely.
16. Dust with confectioner's sugar and cut into wedges to serve.