The 3-Ingredient Italian Cake I’m Bringing to Every Potluck This Summer

From backyard barbecues to picnics, beach hangs, bonfires, and a bounty of stone fruit and berries, there’s a lot to love about summer. But, as a home baker who loves nothing more than preparing sweet treats for my friends and family, summer presents a unique predicament that’s hard for me to reconcile: No one wants to be cooped up in a hot kitchen when it’s 80 degrees outside!

So, when I came across a recipe for a three-ingredient walnut cake from the food blog This Italian Kitchen, I was intrigued. The recipe only calls for eggs, sugar, and walnuts, which might feel alarmingly too little. However, Italy is home to many delicious desserts, and many of them use very few ingredients, like panna cotta, affogato, and pignoli cookies.

After trying out the recipe for myself, the only way to describe it is magical. It’s incredibly moist, delicate, and flavorful—it’s hard to wrap your mind around how so few ingredients can result in something so scrumptious. It even garnered a “This is one of the 10 best cakes I’ve ever eaten” from my partner, who has eaten many desserts over the years.

While this is the perfect kind of recipe to have on hand for last-minute hosting and the many sweltering afternoons ahead of us, the cake truly stands on its own as a dessert for all occasions. Give it a try, and I’m sure you’ll keep coming back to it, well after summer is over.

What Is Torta di Noci?

Torta di noci, which translates to walnut cake, finds its origins in the sun-baked region of Calabria in southern Italy. While Calabrian desserts often lean more indulgent—think deep-fried, honey-soaked, custard-filled—this cake is a fresh departure from all that.

It’s rich, toasty, and nutty in the best way imaginable. The chunks of walnut strewn throughout give it a charmingly rustic quality that’s also elegant at the same time. As the saying goes, sometimes less is more, and no other dessert encapsulates that more than torta di noci.

Plus, it’s forgivably simple. With so few ingredients, there can only be so many steps. Just as long as you’re making sure to beat the egg whites until stiff, not a lot can go wrong. The batter also comes together in about 10 minutes, so you’re in and out of the kitchen in a whizz.

Without further ado, here’s how to make it.

How to Make Torta di Noci

To start, grease and line a 9-inch cake pan. Then transfer 12 ounces of walnuts to a food processor or blender and blitz until coarsely ground.

Separate the egg whites and yolks from four eggs. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the egg whites and use a hand mixer to beat until stiff peaks form. Set the bowl aside. Add another 1/2 cup sugar to the yolks and use the same mixer to beat the eggs until pale, airy, and doubled in size.

Stir the ground walnuts into the yolk mixture until combined. Dump half the egg whites into the bowl and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the egg whites until combined. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites and try not to overmix, stopping when there are no more visible egg whites—you don’t want to knock out all the air you worked so hard to get!

Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is firm, evenly browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, run a knife around the edges of the cake, then remove the cake from the pan. Although it’s optional, generously dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving. Not only does it add a touch of elegance, but it also adds a delectable hit of sweetness that really rounds out the whole dessert.

Tips and Tricks

• While the cake is irresistible on its own, you could add lemon zest or orange zest to the egg yolks when adding the ground walnuts to add more depth and complexity to the flavor profile.
• Similarly, toss in chocolate chips, dried blueberries, or other dry mix-ins to add variations on texture. You could also serve the cake with whipped ricotta, a dollop of crème fraîche, or buttercream to contrast the richness of the cake.
• While the traditional recipe calls for walnuts, pretty much any nut can be swapped in. Think pecans, hazelnuts, almonds—there are so many riffs!
• Since this cake doesn’t rely on chemical leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, it’s crucial to whip the egg whites until they are stiff. This means you’re not done whipping until the egg whites can stand and hold their shape when the beater is lifted from the bowl.
• This cake tastes even better the day after it’s baked, so if you can muster the willpower, then I suggest wrapping the cake tightly with plastic wrap and storing it overnight at room temperature to allow the flavors to reach their full potential.