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Home » Popular » Cakes & Cupcakes » Ancient Roman Cake/Torta Antica Roma

Ancient Roman Cake/Torta Antica Roma

By: Rosemary Published: March 16, 2021 Updated on: January 14, 2023

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This Ancient Roman Cake also known as Torta Antica Roma, has a buttery base spread with jam and topped with a whipped semi sweet ricotta filling, covered again with the same flaky buttery pastry, then baked until golden. Slice and serve dusted with powdered sugar. So good.

cake on a black stand with a slice on a black plate

I sent out a newsletter awhile back asking readers what Italian recipe they would like to see on the blog. One reader enquired about this Torta Antica Roma. Being close to Rome it really intrigued me. Believe me this was a difficult cake to find. I finally came across the website Profumo di Biscotti, it very much resembled the recipe the reader described. Although to tell the truth, to me it actually resembles more a crostata/pie rather than a cake.

Table of Contents

  • How to make it
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • What is the best flour to use?
  • What jam can I use
  • What is ricotta
  • What is Italian pastry dough
  • How to store it
  • Ancient Roman Cake
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
      • FOR THE DOUGH
      • *I use salted butter, but if you use unsalted then add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
      • FILLING
      • EXTRAS
    • Instructions 
      • FOR THE DOUGH
      • *The remaining half refrigerate until ready to use.
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

How to make it

The dough for this cake can be made 3 ways, using your stand up mixer with the flat beaters, a food processor or even by hand.

Whisk together the flour, sugar baking powder and salt add the softened butter and mix to form coarse crumbs.

adding the butter to the dry mixture and mixing to form coarse crumbs

Add the egg and mix until almost combined. Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and knead gently to combine to form a compact dough ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

forming a dough and wrapping in plastic wrap

Divide the dough in half and roll to 1/8 inch thickness, place in the prepared pie pan, prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, spread with a layer of jam, thin or thicker as you prefer, refrigerate.

the dough in the pie plate and pricked and spread with jam

While the base in chilling, in a small bowl beat together the ricotta and powdered sugar until creamy. Remove the dough from the fridge, and spread the ricotta mixture on top of the jam. Refrigerate.

the ricotta mixture in a white bowl and spread on top of the jam
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    Roll the remaining dough into a circle a bit thicker than 1/8 inch, top the ricotta with the dough, seal the edges, brush with milk and bake.

    the dough on top of the pie and baked

    Let the cake cool then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

    What is the best flour to use?

    For this recipe I used pastry flour, which has a 8-9% protein count. The lower the protein the flakier and more tender the crust.

    To make your own pastry flour for every cup of all purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and substitute with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch be sure to sift the ingredients together to make sure there are no lumps.

    What jam can I use

    The original Ancient Roman Cake uses strawberry jam, if you are feeling ambitious than you can always make your own Homemade Jam. If not a good store bought will work also. Change it up and use a mixed fruit, cherry or even blueberry jam.

    roman cake on a black stand

    What is ricotta

    Ricotta cheese is made from leftover whey from other cheeses, it can be from cow, goat, sheep or Italian Buffalo. Sometimes an acidifier is added. Ricotta meaning recooked is just that, the recooking of the whey. Since it is not produced from curd, but from whey, ricotta cannot be considered a real cheese. The term ricotta can also mean the fresh one.

    Fresh ricotta is placed in the typical cone shaped perforated container, where it is left to drain. It is usually a white colour, of course how white depends on the type of milk that is used. It is soft and slightly grainy but is not elastic or hard. Fresh ricotta has the smell of warm milk and hay, although the aroma of hay will be more intense in ricotta that is made from sheep or buffalo milk.

    Most if not all the regions of Italy make their own ricotta but the most popular comes from Lazio, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Sicilia, Sardegna, Campania, Puglia, Calabria, Toscana, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardia e Piemonte. I used cow ricotta for this recipe but if you prefer a stronger taste then a goat ricotta can also be used.

    cake on a black stand and a slice on a black plate

    What is Italian pastry dough

    Italian pastry dough consists of flour, sugar, baking powder, butter (usually room temperature) and an egg and sometimes an egg yolk. The egg makes the dough even flakier than the classic shortcrust.

    How to store it

    The leftover cake should be wrapped well and refrigerated, it will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen, wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and place in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months.

    So if you are looking for an interesting Roman dessert I hope you give this Ancient Roman Cake a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

    a slice of cake on a black plate
    roman cake on a black cake stand

    Ancient Roman Cake

    Rosemary Molloy
    This Ancient Roman Cake also known as Torta Antica Roma, has a buttery base spread with jam and topped with a whipped ricotta filling.
    5 from 11 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Chilling time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
    Course Desserts
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 244 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    FOR THE DOUGH

    • 2 cups pastry flour (260 grams)
    • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 pinch salt*
    • ¾ cup + 2 ¼ tablespoons butter (softened) (200 grams)
    • 1 large egg (room temperature)

    *I use salted butter, but if you use unsalted then add ¼ teaspoon of salt.

      FILLING

      • ¼-½ cup strawberry jam (80-160 grams)
      • 1 cup ricotta cheese (250 grams)
      • 2½ tablespoons powdered/icing sugar

      EXTRAS

      • 1-2 tablespoons milk (for brushing the dough)
      • 2-3 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar (for dusting)

      Instructions
       

      • The dough for this cake can be made 3 ways, using your stand up mixer with the flat beaters, a food processor or even by hand.

      FOR THE DOUGH

      • Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt add the softened butter and mix, pulse or stir to form coarse crumbs.
      • Add the egg and mix, pulse or stir until almost combined. Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and knead gently to form a compact dough ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
      • Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease and flour an 8 inch pie plate.
      • Divide the dough in half* and roll one half into a circle 1/8 inch thick, place in the prepared pie pan, (don't worry if it breaks just press it together to fit in the pan with your fingers), prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, spread with a layer of jam, thin or thicker as you prefer, refrigerate.
      • While the base in chilling, in a small bowl beat together the ricotta and powdered sugar until creamy.
      • Remove the dough from the fridge, and spread the ricotta on top of the jam, refrigerate.
        Roll the remaining dough into a circle a bit thicker than 1/8 inch, place on top of the ricotta and seal the edges, brush with a milk. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until golden.
      • Let the cake cool completely then dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!

      *The remaining half refrigerate until ready to use.

        Notes

        If you have left over dough it can either be frozen for later use or make twists or cookies and bake until golden.
        To make your own Pastry flour, for every cup of all purpose remove 2 tablespoons and substitute with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, sift together to remove any lumps.

        Nutrition

        Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 35mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 3gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 140IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 1mg
        Keyword ancient rome cake, Italian cake, Italian ricotta cake
        Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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          1. Nooshin says

            January 14, 2023 at 1:40 pm

            5 stars
            Hi dear Rosemary, I made this crostata with cream cheese and as you said, I added some water to the cheese and it turned out to be very, very delicious and perfect. Thanks for your guidance. Also how many eggs for 1/5 of this recipe. Many thanks.

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              January 15, 2023 at 10:56 am

              Hi Nooshin, glad you enjoyed the recipe and it worked out for you. To tell the truth I would never 1/5 this recipe. You could make the pastry dough and use what amount you need then freeze the remaining dough. Maybe divide the ingredient amount by 4 if that’s what you plan on doing. Hope that helps. Take care!

              Reply
          2. Nooshin says

            January 8, 2023 at 4:35 pm

            Hi dear Rosemary ,
            Hope you are doing fine . I want to make this cake . Can I use cream cheese instead of ricotta ? Please let me know. Many thanks .

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              January 8, 2023 at 6:43 pm

              Hi Nooshin, I am good thanks, I hope you are too. I think you could, I have never tried it with cream cheese, the taste will be different because cream cheese is richer and has a bit of a sour taste, but it should probably work, you might want to add a tablespoon or so of water to it since it is thicker than ricotta, it might also be a good idea to beat it a bit before using. Let me know how it goes. Take care!

              Reply
              • Nooshin says

                January 8, 2023 at 8:22 pm

                Many thanks . Okay I will let you know as soon as I make it .

          3. Maria Gerace says

            July 22, 2022 at 5:32 pm

            can I use cake flour instead of pastry flour?

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              July 22, 2022 at 5:50 pm

              Hi Maria, yes you can substitute, it’s a one for one substitution. Take care.

              Reply
          4. Ryan says

            June 16, 2022 at 2:46 pm

            5 stars
            Hello Rosemary,
            This has become a go-to cake in our family… my 12-year old daughter just requested it for her birthday. I was wondering if it is possible to add more ricotta as mine never looks as voluminous as yours? It still tastes incredible and the proportions are nice but I just can’t make 250g seem sufficient. Thanks again for this great recipe.
            Ryan

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              June 16, 2022 at 3:16 pm

              Hi Ryan, thanks so much, so glad you all enjoy it, especially your daughter wanting it for her birthday. Yes you can add more ricotta. You could probably double it but it might be too much and overpowering I would go with 1 1/2 cups and maybe add an extra tablespoon of sugar. Let me know how it goes. And Happy Birthday to your daughter. Take care.

              Reply
          5. Mouna says

            February 13, 2022 at 8:00 pm

            That cake stand is stunning, would you be able to share where you got it? Fingers crossed its available online!

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              February 15, 2022 at 3:22 pm

              Hi Mouna, thanks so much, it’s actually a heavy plate with an upside down small bowl as the stand. I think I purchased both at crate and barrel. 🙂

              Reply
          6. Carol says

            May 28, 2021 at 3:38 pm

            5 stars
            Made this Roman cake with Raspberry jam n it came out delicious. Easy to make and was s big hit with the family. Taste more like a crostata. This was a winner thank you 💗. Only problem I have is getting it out of pie plate and greased n floured it. I see you used a pan with removable bottom. I’ll try that or the parchment paper. Thanks again Rosemary

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              May 30, 2021 at 3:05 pm

              Hi Carol, thanks so glad you and your family enjoyed it. Yes parchment paper works well too, although I really like springform pans. Have a great Sunday.

              Reply
          7. Jose Monge says

            May 7, 2021 at 4:36 pm

            Not sure how this is an ancient Roman recipe. Sugar was not used during this times, they sweetened with grape must or honey.

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              May 7, 2021 at 6:15 pm

              Hi Jose, it isn’t antic, that’s what it was called by an Italian chef in Rome. 🙂

              Reply
          8. Carolyn Mariano says

            April 19, 2021 at 1:55 pm

            5 stars
            Hello Rosemary, As usual, another fabulous recipe. I had a few containers of impastata ricotta leftover from making manicotti for Easter, so I decided to put one of them to good use in this torta. Easy to prepare and really delicious. My husband couldn’t wait for it to cool, so he cut himself a big slice about 5 minutes after it came out of the oven — when I wasn’t in the room, of course, to yell it him for not waiting for it to cool. My tart pan (similar to the one you used is too large, so I used an 8 in. spring form which worked fine but isn’t nearly as pretty as yours with the fluted edges. I used strawberry preserves this time and next time will try blueberry or cherry. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              April 20, 2021 at 5:42 pm

              Hi Carolyn, thanks so much, so glad you and your husband enjoyed it. I like the idea of using different jams every time. Have a great week.

              Reply
          9. Dee says

            March 21, 2021 at 3:56 pm

            5 stars
            Hi Rosemary, just made this and it worked beautifully. Topping the pie was a bit tricky, I managed it. Made it with leftover blueberry strawberry coulis thinned up. Fantastic. Thanks for a lovely recipe.

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              March 21, 2021 at 7:00 pm

              Hi Dee, thanks so much, sounds delicious. Yes topping it can be a bit tricky, but it can be patched up easy enough.Take care and have a great week.

              Reply
          10. Loretta Barfield says

            March 19, 2021 at 10:39 pm

            Did you use a pie pan with removable bottom?

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              March 20, 2021 at 9:50 am

              Hi Loretta, yes I did, but a regular greased and floured (or line with parchment paper) pie plate or even cake pan will work.

              Reply
          11. Anna says

            March 19, 2021 at 8:14 pm

            This cake looks yummy. I have a question can you use mascarpone cheese instead of ricotta?

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              March 20, 2021 at 10:24 am

              Hi Anna, they are two totally different cheeses, ricotta is made from milk and is lighter and mascarpone is made from cream. Personally I wouldn’t substitute. 🙂

              Reply
          12. Angelina says

            March 19, 2021 at 8:07 pm

            I cannot rate this cake, since I haven’t yet made it. I’m happy that you posted this recipe, Rosemary, since my mom was born & raised in Rome, so when I saw this recipe I decided that I’d make it for mom’s upcoming birthday. I’ll use “Smucker’s Strawberry Preserves”, which contain more strawberries than does jam. I’m sure that my mom will be super surprised with this cake. I have no doubt that it’s deliciozo!

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              March 19, 2021 at 8:21 pm

              Hi Angelina oh thanks, my husband ate almost the whole thing. Happy Birthday to your Mom, let me know how it goes.

              Reply

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