Rainbow cookie loaf cake recipe
With their brightly coloured layers of almond cake sandwiched together with jam and decorated with chocolate ganache, rainbow cookies are a classic Italian-American treat found in Italian bakeries across the US.
Otherwise known as Venetians, Neapolitans and tricolore cookies thanks to their traditional red, white and green colours, these tasty bakes are in fact rather more akin to layered sponge cakes than cookies, and can be rather tricky to put together.
With exactly that in mind, in this recipe self-taught chef and Instagram superstar Dan Pelosi (@grossypelosi) takes the classic recipe and gives it a far simpler, but no less delicious, twist.
“I especially love eating these cookies at bakeries because they are tedious and time-consuming to make at home," he explains. "Since the classic cookie is already a cross between a cookie and a cake, I decided to blow things up and lean into the cake element of it all. This loaf cake has all the taste and texture of a rainbow cookie but is much easier.”
The recipe features in Dan’s bestselling debut cookbook, Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home, where the focus is very much on Italian-American recipes that taste fantastic, deliver comfort food feels in spades and, crucially, are created with the home cook in mind.
Things to note:
You will need three 24 x 13cm (9 x 5in) loaf tins (loaf pans).
Once cooked, the sponges will need to chill in the fridge overnight.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select 'Cups'.
Ingredients
For the cakes:- 6 tbsp non-stick cooking spray
- 6 tbsp almond paste
- 57 g unsalted butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 118 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 118 g plain flour
- 10 drops green food colouring
- 10 drops red food colouring
- 42 g seedless raspberry jam
- 42 g seedless apricot jam
- 118 ml double cream
- 113 g dark chocolate
Details
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Recipe Type: Cake
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 60 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Serves: 8
Step-by-step
- First make the loaf cakes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Coat 3 individual 24 x 13cm (9 x 5in) loaf tins (loaf pans) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Fold 3 pieces of baking paper (parchment paper) in half lengthwise and set one in each loaf tin (pan), so that the ends of the paper are sticking out – this will make it easy to lift the cakes out later. Coat the paper with non-stick spray as well.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or a large bowl, if you’re using a handheld mixer), beat the almond paste on low for around 2 minutes, until mostly smooth. Add the butter and sugar, increase the heat to medium and beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Stop to scrape down the sides, then return to a medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the almond extract and milk and beat until just incorporated. Stop to scrape down the sides again, then add the salt, baking powder and flour. Beat on low until the flour is almost combined (about 1 minute), then use a rubber spatula to finish folding the flour in.
- Divide the batter evenly among three medium bowls. Stir 10 drops of green food colouring into one bowl and 10 drops of red food colouring into another – mix well. Keep one bowl plain. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tins (pans), smoothing the surface of each.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. (The edges will be golden brown, but we’ll take care of those later). Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tins (this should take about an hour).
- Lay out a large piece of cling film (plastic wrap) on a work surface. Use the baking paper (parchment) to lift the loaves out of the tins (pans). Set the green loaf on the cling film (plastic wrap). Spread the raspberry jam over one side of the loaf, then set the white loaf on top. Spread the apricot jam on top of the white loaf, then set the red loaf on top.
- Tightly wrap the loaves in the cling film (plastic wrap), then transfer the stack back to one of the loaf tins (pans). Set a second loaf tins (pan) on top and use cans to weigh it down. Transfer to the fridge to chill overnight or for up to 24 hours.
- Remove the loaf from the fridge, discard the cling film (plastic wrap), and set on a cutting board with the red layer on top. Trim about 0.6cm (0.25 in) from all sides of the loaf to make a perfect rectangle. Set a wire rack on top of a baking tray (sheet pan) and place the loaf on the rack.
- To make the icing (frosting), set a small saucepan with the cream over a medium heat. As soon as the cream begins to bubble around the edges, remove the pan from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and leave for 10 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Use a rubber spatula to smooth the frosting over all sides of the loaf except the bottom, finishing with the top. Smooth the edges, then, if you like, use a fork to squiggle lines on the top of the loaf. Use two large spatulas to transfer the frosted loaf to a cutting board.
- Return the cake to the fridge for about 30 minutes, until the chocolate is set. Cut the loaf into slices and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi (Union Square & Co., £25). Photography by Andrew Bui.
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