Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The tri-colore almond cookie of every Italian-American bakery case, scaled up into a proper layer cake the way New York's glossiest red-sauce dining rooms serve it. One half sheet pan is divided into three lanes with foil dams so all three almond-paste layers bake at once, then they're stacked with strained raspberry and apricot jam, pressed under weight overnight, and sealed top and bottom in dark chocolate for a clean snap and razor-sharp slices.

Ingredients

• 10 oz almond paste (not marzipan), broken into chunks
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• red and green gel food coloring

• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp water

• 14 oz bittersweet chocolate (62–70%), finely chopped
• 3 tbsp refined coconut oil or neutral oil
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 pinch flaky salt (optional, for the edges)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line a 13x18-inch rimmed half sheet pan with one sheet of parchment, letting it come up the long sides. Tear off two 20-inch lengths of heavy-duty foil and fold each into a sturdy wall about 1 1/2 inches tall and 13 inches long, leaving a 1-inch flap folded out along the base as a foot. Set the walls across the short width of the pan at the 6-inch and 12-inch marks, feet facing outward, so the pan is divided into three lanes roughly 6 x 13 inches each. Butter the parchment and the inner faces of the foil.
2. In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the almond paste with 1 cup of the sugar on medium for 2 to 3 minutes, until it breaks down into damp sand with no lumps larger than a pea. Add the softened butter and beat on medium-high for 4 minutes, scraping the bowl twice, until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then the almond extract. On low speed, add the flour and salt and mix just until no dry streaks remain, about 20 seconds. The batter will be thick, like sugar cookie dough.
4. In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then rain in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and whip to firm, glossy peaks. Stir one-third of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions until just combined.
5. Divide the batter into three equal portions by weight (about 1 pound 2 ounces each) in three bowls. Leave one plain. Tint one a deep pink-red and one a clear spring green with gel coloring, folding until the color is even; the colors bake out about one shade paler.
6. Scrape each color into its own lane and spread level with a small offset spatula, pushing the batter fully into the corners. Bake 16 to 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden, the centers spring back when pressed, and a tester comes out clean. Do not overbake — the layers should stay tender.
7. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then lift the parchment and layers onto a rack. Peel away the foil walls and let the layers cool completely, about 30 minutes. Slide a thin knife between the layers if the edges have fused, then transfer each to its own sheet of parchment.
8. Warm the raspberry jam and apricot preserves in separate small saucepans with 1 1/2 teaspoons water each over medium heat until loose and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Press each through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool to just warm. Discard the solids.
9. Trim about 1/4 inch from all four sides of each layer with a long serrated knife so the rectangles match (snack on the scraps). Set the green layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan or cutting board. Spread it with all of the raspberry jam right to the edges. Set the plain layer on top, press gently, and spread with all of the apricot jam. Top with the pink layer, cut side down for a flat surface.
10. Cover the cake with parchment, set a second sheet pan or a flat cutting board directly on top, and weight it with two or three cans. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight — this is what glues the layers and gives you clean slices.
11. Melt the chocolate, coconut oil, and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth and about 95°F. Unwrap the chilled cake, blot any weeping jam from the sides, and pour half the glaze over the top. Spread it in an even thin coat with an offset spatula and, if you like, drag a fork lengthwise for wavy bakery lines. Chill 20 minutes, until set and dull.
12. Slide a long spatula under the cake and flip it onto a fresh sheet of parchment, glazed side down. Pour on the remaining glaze (rewarm briefly if it has thickened), spread evenly, and chill 30 minutes more until fully firm.
13. Let the cake sit at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting. Using a long thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between every cut, trim the edges square, then cut the slab lengthwise into 4 strips and crosswise into 6, for 24 pieces about 1 1/2 x 2 inches. Sprinkle the cut edges with flaky salt if you like and serve at cool room temperature.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Frozen Chocolate–Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars

Blueberry Peach Buckle with Almond Streusel

Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem