Zuccotto: a Creamy Italian Dessert Cake
Zuccotto is a fabulous, creamy Italian dessert cake that is made in the form of a dome, or more specifically a pumpkin. Make it once, and it won’t be the last time.
Originally published August 11, 2014.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What is Zuccotto?
Zuccotto is derived from the Italian word for pumpkin, “zucca”, but I can assure you, it’s much more delicious than a pumpkin! The dessert is originally from Florence, but has changed through the years. It was originally created by Bernardo Buontalenti at a banquet for the Medici family. You can read more about this Italian dessert cake here.
As you can see below the very top photo, I originally published this recipe over six years ago. However, the photos were so incredibly bad, I made the post private so that no one could see it. The recipe, however, is fabulous. I’ve told you about one of my favorite dessert cookbooks before, and this recipe is from that same book.
Another no-bake Italian dessert: Limoncello Tiramisu!
Is it an authentic Northern Italian zuccotto recipe? No, but it’s actually not a far cry from it. I checked the zuccotto recipe in Il Cucchiaio d’Argento, and it’s actually quite similar, but uses ricotta instead of a crema pasticcera. I’ve adapted the recipe to make it more my style: instead of using a purchased pound cake, I made my own sponge; and instead of using a pudding mix, I made my own Italian crema pasticcera (pastry cream).
Is Zuccotto Hard to Make?
Please don’t be put off and think that zuccotto is too difficult to make, as it truly is not difficult at all. If you just take the recipe step by step, you’ll see that a child can make this delectable dessert! I’ve been making this zuccotto recipe for many years, which is why I’m sharing this particular recipe with you instead of an authentic version I’ve never made.
What about the original and authentic tiramisù recipe? I have it!
Zuccotto for the Holidays!
There’s nothing better than a spectacular cake for the holidays, starting with Halloween! How perfect to make a pumpkin cake for a spooky party! It would be easy to decorate this to look for like a real pumpkin, too!
Try this pistachio cream in your favorite Italian treats like zeppole or doughnuts!
What a surprise for Thanksgiving guests to have a slice of zuccotto in addition to pumpkin pie! I often make a zuccotto for Christmas, but the one in all the photos on this post was from New Year’s Day, 2020. I was at my parents’ house in Michigan and made one while I was visiting.
Note: I highly recommend using a scale for this recipe.
Zuccotto
recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts Serves 12
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- cake slices
- liqueur
- semisweet chocolate
- dark chocolate
- heavy whipping cream
- instant espresso-coffee powder
- Italian pastry cream
- grated chocolate or chocolate curls for decoration
Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) slightly adapted from Il Cucchiaio D’Argento
- egg yolks
- sugar
- flour
- milk
- vanilla
Step by Step Directions
1. Prepare the Bowl and Line with Cake
Line a 2 1/2 quart bowl with plastic wrap. Have it much larger than you need to cover the top later.
Cut the sponge cake in half. I love this inexpensive tool.
Place one slice in the bottom of the bowl. If you’re using a loaf cake, cut slices and then triangles and fill the bowl like a jigsaw puzzle to cover every spot, so that the entire bowl is covered.
Slice a few pieces of the other half of the cake into strips.
Use the strips to line around the cake in the bowl. This only takes a few minutes, and its very easy!
Sprinkle the cake with your choice of liqueur. I used Kahlua this time.
2. Make the Pastry Cream
In a medium sized pot (off the heat), stir the egg yolks and sugar together briskly with a wooden spoon.
Add the flour a little at a time and incorporate into the mixture.
Heat the milk to boiling and add the vanilla. Begin adding the hot milk to the mixture a little at a time, mixing well in between additions. Do not add too much at once or the eggs may curdle.
Continue adding the hot milk and stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
Once all the milk has been added, put the pot onto medium heat and continue to stir.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, let it cook for 3 or 4 minutes then remove from the heat. Keep stirring as it cools so that it doesn’t form a skin.
3.Melt the Chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over some hot water and set aside.
4.Make the Zuccotto Filling
In a medium sized bowl, beat 10 oz (300 ml) heavy whipping cream with the instant coffee powder until stiff peaks form; set aside.
To the cooled pastry cream, add 1 Tbsp of Grand Marnier, the 2 oz (57 g) of grated chocolate and the whipped coffee cream. Fold mixture until completely combined.
Spread 2/3 of the mixture into the cake-lined bowl almost reaching the top, but not completely. Leave a hollow in the middle and don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect, it will be fine in the end.
5. Fill the Zuccotto
Add the melted chocolate to the remaining cream.
Mix well until the color is uniform.
Then fill the center of the zuccotto.
6. Seal the Zuccotto and Chill.
Take pieces of the remaining cake and close up the bottom of the zuccotto. Don’t worry about what it looks like, just be sure to cover the entire area. This will be the bottom of the dessert.
Sprinkle with more of your chosen liqueur, then seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but I like to leave it overnight.
7.Decorate the Zuccotto
Beat the remaining 8 oz of heavy whipping cream, with the other 2 teaspoons of coffee powder and 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar until stiff peaks form.
When ready to decorate, remove top plastic wrap and place a FLAT (must be completely flat!) plate or cake stand on top of the zuccotto and invert. Remove the bowl.
Ta dah! This is my favorite part! (And see those cracks? It doesn’t matter, it’s still going to turn out perfectly.)
Spread the coffee-flavored whipped cream all over the zuccotto.
Make swirls or peaks in the cream, whichever way you like, but it doesn’t have to be fancy. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, curls or more grated chocolate.
It’s best to refrigerate the cake for an hour or so. However, you can serve it immediately if you need to.
There was snow on the deck when I was in Michigan. I don’t get many opportunities to shoot food in snow!
I hope you enjoy this zuccotto recipe as much as I have over the years!

Zuccotto: a Creamy Italian Dessert Cake
Special Equipment
- 1 9" cake tin optional
- 1 cake slicer optional
- 1 flat cake stand
Ingredients
- 1 sponge cake baked in a 9" tin or a pound cake cut into ½" slices (Victoria sponge cake recipe below)
- 2 oz coffee liqueur + 1 Tbsp (or your choice of liqueur)
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate broken into pieces
- 2 oz dark chocolate grated
- 10 oz heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 Italian pastry cream 1 recipe (below)
- 2 Tbsp grated chocolate or chocolate curls for decoration
Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) slightly adapted from Il Cucchiaio D'Argento:
- 4 egg yolks organic
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 17 oz milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 oz heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
Instructions
Prepare the Bowl and Line with Cake:
- Line a 2 ½ quart bowl with plastic wrap. Have it much larger than you need to cover the top later.
- Cut the sponge cake in half. I love using a cake slicer.
- Place one slice in the bottom of the bowl. If you're using a loaf cake, cut slices and then triangles and fill the bowl like a jigsaw puzzle to cover every spot, so that the entire bowl is covered.
- Slice a few pieces of the other half of the cake into strips.
- Use the strips to line around the cake in the bowl. This only takes a few minutes, and its very easy!
- Sprinkle the cake with your choice of liqueur. I used Kahlua this time.
Make the Pastry Cream:
- In a medium sized pot (off the heat), stir the egg yolks and sugar together briskly with a wooden spoon.
- Add the flour a little at a time and incorporate into the mixture.
- Heat the milk to boiling and add the vanilla. Begin adding the hot milk to the mixture a little at a time, mixing well in between additions. Do not add too much at once or the eggs may curdle.
- Continue adding the hot milk and stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
- Once all the milk has been added, put the pot onto medium heat and continue to stir.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, let it cook for 3 or 4 minutes then remove from the heat. Keep stirring as it cools so that it doesn't form a skin.
Melt the Chocolate:
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over some hot water.
- Set aside.
Make the Zuccotto Filling:
- In a medium sized bowl, beat 10 oz (300 ml) heavy whipping cream with the instant coffee powder until stiff peaks form; set aside.
- To the cooled pastry cream, add 1 Tbsp of Grand Marnier, the 2 oz (55 g) of grated chocolate and the whipped coffee cream. Fold mixture until completely combined.
- Spread ⅔ of the mixture into the cake-lined bowl almost reaching the top, but not completely. Leave a hollow in the middle and don't worry if it doesn't look perfect, it will be fine in the end.
Fill the Zuccotto:
- Add the melted chocolate to the remaining cream.
- Mix well until the color is uniform, then fill the center of the zuccotto.
Seal the Zuccotto and Chill:
- Take pieces of the remaining cake and close up the bottom of the zuccotto.
- Sprinkle with more of your chosen liqueur, then seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but I like to leave it overnight.
Decorate the Zuccotto:
- Beat the remaining 8 oz (235 ml) of heavy whipping cream, with the other 2 teaspoons of coffee powder and 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar until stiff peaks form.
- When ready to decorate, remove top plastic wrap and place a FLAT plate or cake stand on top of the zuccotto and invert. Remove the bowl.
- Ta dah! This is my favorite part! Have cracks? Doesn't matter, it's still going to turn out perfectly.
- Spread the coffee-flavored whipped cream all over the zuccotto.
- Make swirls or peaks in the cream, whichever way you like, but it doesn't have to be fancy. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, curls or more grated chocolate.
- It's best to refrigerate the cake for an hour or so. However, you can serve it immediately if you need to.
Notes
- Use quality, organic ingredients for the best results.
- Grand Marnier or Cointreau is necessary for the custard part of the recipe
Nutrition

Victoria Sandwich, Traditional British Afternoon Tea Cake - Recipe for US Kitchens
Ingredients
- 10 oz butter good quality, unsalted and at room temperature (if you only have salted butter, omit the salt)
- 1 ¼ cups Baker's sugar (caster sugar in the UK)
- 6 eggs beaten
- 2 cups self-rising flour (or all purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder), SIFTED
- pinch salt
- 6 oz raspberry jam for filling
- 6 oz heavy whipping cream for filling
- 1 tsp Baker's sugar or confectioner's sugar for the top of the cake
Instructions
- Oven temperature: 350° F (180°C)
Make the Cake
- Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Grease the pans using butter or a spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. It will begin to pale in color, too (given that you're using a good quality, yellow butter).
- Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and mix well at medium speed. Then add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat this step. Add the rest of the eggs and mix well, then turn the mixer to low and add the final flour and just mix until well combined.
- Using a scale, divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and place in the center of a preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Since ovens vary greatly, do not open the oven until you start to smell the cake and it looks well risen (through the glass).
- Carefully check that the cake is done with a cake tester or thin skewer. If it is too raw, the cakes will fall and you won't be happy, so the previous step is important. When the cake is done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the tins.
- To remove: place a cooling rack over the top of the cake and flip it over quickly. Remove the tin and the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before filling.
Fill and Decorate the Victoria Sandwich
- Beat the cream without any added sugar or flavorings until it's thick enough to fill the cake, and support a layer, but not so thick that it starts to become butter.
- Using a cake slicer, place the cake layers, flat side down on the counter and slice off the top to make them even. (Save or freeze the leftover cake to make trifle(s)! More trifle recipes at the very bottom.)
- Place one layer, cut side up on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of the raspberry jam to cover the top. Don't worry if you put too much or too little jam the first time as it will take a little experience to know just how much to put, and it won't affect how good it will taste in the end.
- Next, spread the cream over the jam. Again, be generous, but bring it almost to the edge as the weight of the top layer will push it down a bit. Top with the second layer, but this time, CUT SIDE DOWN.
- Sprinkle with sugar or dust with confectioner's sugar, and place in the refrigerator for an hour or two. This helps a lot in making nice slices when you cut into the Victoria Sandwich.
Notes
Nutrition

Pastry Cream Recipe (Crema Pasticcera)
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks organic
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp potato starch (if using corn starch add 1 extra tsp)
- 1 pinch salt
- 14 oz milk
- 1 tsp vanilla or ½ tsp pure vanilla powder or paste
Instructions
- Place the egg yolks into a medium sized pot (off the heat).
- Add the sugar and potato or corn starch and whisk together until uniform.
- When the mixture is smooth, place the pot on the stovetop. Begin pouring in the warm milk whilst whisking. Turn the heat on to medium.
- Continue whisking and gradually increase the heat. The pastry cream will thicken as it heats up.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, let it cook for about 3 minutes then remove from the heat. Add the vanilla and keep stirring as it cools so that it doesn't form a skin. Move into a large bowl and set the bowl into a larger bowl with ice water (if you need to cool it quickly), then refrigerate covered until completely chilled.
- Use as desired.
Notes
- If you want a lighter version of this pastry cream, whip 4 oz (120 ml) of heavy whipping cream until stiff and then fold into the chilled pastry cream.
- You can add more or less cream to your liking, and also add a little sugar to the cream when whipping (I prefer it without).
- Adding a tablespoonful of Grand Marnier (at the end) makes a lovely addition, too.
- Pastry cream can be kept refrigerated for 1 or 2 days, but must be consumed promptly once the pastries are filled.
Nutrition
And to prove to you how awful my old photos were, here is one of them! Yikes!
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Looks like a great yummy cake. Do you happen to have a recipe (or a link) to a 9″ Victoria Sponge cake that you used in this masterpiece? I’d love to make it!
It’s really good. I’ll add the link if it’s not there, but here’s my Victoria’s sponge recipe, Mike.
Turned out great for first time only I substituted Gran Gala for Grand Marinier because of had some on hand and used Kahlua as well made my own Victoria Sponge Cake and my own Crema Pasticcera pastry cream thanks for all the tips love to add a pic
Hi Kimberly, I’m so happy to hear it! Good for you! You can add a photo on my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram!
I think this is the recipe I would make if I won the “Moka coffee pot”. It looks delicious!!
good choice, Dennis!
You are from HEAVEN!!! Finally after all these years a recipe for MY favorite dessert. I moved from New York City’s Little Italy to San Francisco, then became “stuck” in The South and I’ve been here for decades without. My problem now is (similar to another problem with almonds) I have someone who cannot tolerate COFFEE. What might you recommend as a substitute if there might be one? OR will I have to eat most of this myself? 😃
Hi Alan, thank you!! You can try vanilla instead of coffee. Enjoy!
Zuccotto is a great way of using up those extra Panettone you were given or bought. Use the mixing bowl from Kitchenaid or any mixer with a deep narrow bowl. Cut off the round base (reserve this for later)and place upside down the Panettone in the bowl. Cut and Scoop out the centre of the Panettone and chop into pieces then toast in an oven to semi dry them. Assemble as per above but incorporate the pieces of and sprinkle some of the coffee syrup onto them before adding the crème or chocolate. Then use the base to complete. Freeze, remove from mixing bowl then decorate with the whipped, flavoured cream.
In the comment I just made I forgot to mention the name of the dessert, “Zuccotto” what a wonderful combination with Expresso.
This looks and sounds Heavenly and a wonderful cup of Expresso would hit the spot!!
I love Expresso coffee, when I was still working a small cup in the morning and about 3 pm in the afternoon was the perfect pick me up.
I love the taste of Expresso with a little bit of sugar. We had one of our employees who volunteered everyday to bring us gals that great
pick me up !!
I have thought about purchasing an Expresso coffee pot similar to the one you have shown but just haven’t done it for one reason or another.
Happy New Year, I enjoy each and everyone one of your emails. Great Stuff !!
Priscilla Karras