Cakes

Pan di Spagna, alternatively known as pasta Genovese, is an airy sponge cake based on beaten whole eggs, very little, if any, fat, and no chemical leavening agent. The basis for many Italian dessert preparations, it may be decorated and finished in a variety of ways, but it is usually cut into layers, soaked with a sugar syrup, and filled. Typical fillings include panna montata (whipped cream), and crema pasticcera (pastry cream). Unlike other, more buttery cakes, Pan di Spagna is dry because it is designed to be moistened.