Boccone Dolce Cake is also known as 'Sweet Mouthful,' is a traditional Italian dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is a delicious, light, and airy dessert that combines meringue, whipped cream, and fresh berries. These ingredients create a unique and delicate flavor that is sure to please any dessert lover's taste buds!
Table of Contents
- What is Boccone Dolce Cake?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Boccone Dolce
- Boccone Dolce Cake Recipe Tips
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Store Boccone Dolce Cake
- Watch How to Make Boccone Dolce Cake Recipe on my YouTube Channel
- More Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Recipe Card
- Classic Boccone Dolce Cake (with Berries and Cream)
- Comments
This Boccone Dolce recipe is perfect for those who are looking for a show-stopping dessert that is not too heavy or overly sweet. The meringue base provides a light and airy texture that pairs perfectly with the rich and creamy whipped cream. The fresh berries add a burst of freshness and natural sweetness that balances out the flavors.
While this dessert may seem complex, it is surprisingly easy to make. With a few simple steps, you can create a stunning and delicious dessert that is sure to impress your guests.
So whether you are planning a special dinner party or simply want to treat yourself to a sweet and decadent dessert, this Boccone Dolce recipe will surely be a hit!
What is Boccone Dolce Cake?
Boccone Dolce is an Italian dessert that translates to "sweet mouthful" in English. It is a dessert made with meringue, whipped cream, and fresh fruit, usually berries. The meringue is made by whisking egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form, then baking it in the oven until crispy.
The whipped cream is then layered on top of the meringue, followed by a generous amount of fresh fruit. The cake is then finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of chocolate.
Boccone Dolce is a popular dessert in Italy and is often served on special occasions like weddings, birthdays, and holidays. It is known for its light and airy texture, delicate flavor, and beautiful presentation.
This dessert is relatively easy to make and can be customized with different types of fruit and toppings to suit your personal taste. Trust me, you're going to fall in love with it!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Fresh taste: Using fresh berries gives this Boccone dolce a burst of fresh flavor. This recipe is great for the summer and spring months when berries are in season.
Airy texture: The meringue base of this cake gives it a delicious light and airy texture. It's great if you prefer a lighter and more delicate dessert.
Impressive presentation: Even though Boccone Dolce is easy to make, it looks beautiful on any dessert table. The white meringue contrasted with colorful fruit is very visually pleasing.
Key Ingredients
All you need are some incredibly simple ingredients to make this delicious dessert at home. Here's everything you'll need:
- Eggs: We're going to need quite a few eggs in this recipe. The egg whites give our meringue structure and stability while giving it a light and airy texture.
- Baker's sugar: Next we need some baker's sugar, or superfine sugar, to sweeten the meringue. Baker's sugar dissolves faster than regular sugar which is ideal in meringue to give it a smooth texture.
- Heavy cream: We'll use a decent amount of heavy whipping cream for this recipe also. It will make a light and fluffy whipped cream with a richness that compliments the sweet flavors.
- Sugar: We need some regular sugar in addition to the baker's sugar. I prefer to use organic sugar in my recipes, but it's not required if you can't get it easily.
- Strawberries: The first berry we'll layer into this Boccone dolce is fresh strawberries. The combination of whole strawberries with the rest of the fruit is delicious with the taste of the meringue.
- Raspberries: We will use raspberries for their sweet and tart flavor to compliment the sweetness of the meringue. They're a great source of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins also!
- Blackberries: Blackberries are another sweet and tart berry we'll use to balance out some of the sweetness. They also add a beautiful dark purple color to the visual appeal of this cake.
- Blueberries: The last fruit we need is some blueberries. Their sweet taste and deep blue color are just what we need to polish off this dessert.
How to Make Boccone Dolce
Making this beautiful and delicious dessert is incredibly easy. Here's how to make it step by step:
How to Make Meringue Cake Layers
Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Then place a 10" inch bottom piece of a springform pan on a sheet of parchment paper.
Trace the circle with a pencil then cut out the circle 2" inches further away from your traced marking. Make 3 identical cut-outs of this size and set them aside.
Next, carefully separate egg yolks from the whites. Place all 12 egg whites into an electric mixer bowl and add sugar.
Beat the egg whites and sugar with a whisker attachment on high for about 15 minutes. Beating times may vary depending on the mixer you use. The meringue should be very thick, heavy, and smooth with no sugar granules and soft peaks when it's done.
After that, fill a piping bag with a star tip with the meringue to about ¾ full. Flip the parchment paper cut-outs over so the pencil mark is on the bottom side.
Pipe the meringue out in moon shapes (reverse c's), overlapping each other to form a large circle along the pencil trace line. Fill in the middle, then spread meringue evenly over the parchment paper, leaving the outer circle untouched. Repeat the same steps with all 3 parchment paper cut-outs.
Baking Meringue Cake Layers
Now it's time to put our cake layers in the oven. First, we need to properly position the racks. The top rack should be positioned in the middle of the oven with the second rack directly beneath it.
Place the meringue layers into the oven one at a time. Put one layer on the top rack and two layers on the bottom rack.
You can use an aluminum cookie sheet or baking sheet to help you with this step. Gently slide the parchment paper with meringue onto the cookie sheet, then slide it from the cookie sheet to the oven rack.
When all 3 layers are transferred to the oven, close the door and immediately reduce the temperature to 270 F. Let it bake at this temperature for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 220 F. Let it bake at 220 F for 5 hours and 53 minutes.
The cake will bake for a total of 6 hours. Temperature control is vital in this baking process and the outcome of the finished product. Be sure to pay close attention to the temperature and timings.
Once the 6 hours are up, turn the oven off and let the meringue cool in the oven overnight. This step is very important; it must cool down very gradually in and with the oven. If you remove it from the oven, the drastic temperature change will cause a lot of cracking.
Extra Tips:
I like to enjoy this dessert at after-church lunches on Sundays, so I begin making it around 5 PM the Friday before. I place it in the oven to bake around 5:30 PM and turn the oven off at about 11:30 PM.
The following day (Saturday morning), I remove them from the oven completely cooled and do the assembly in the evening shortly before bed.
I hope this helps explain the timing of the process, but of course, you can make it at any time that works for you. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below!
Frosting for the Boccone Dolce Cake
When you're ready to make the cream, chill a mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps speed up the mixing process.
Pour 5 cups of heavy cream into the chilled bowl, then beat it for 2 minutes or until it becomes thick. Add 1 cup sugar and beat again for 30 seconds.
Scrape the cream off the sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula and beat it again for 15 seconds. Again, the beating times may vary slightly depending on the strength of the mixer you use. Be careful not to overbeat the cream.
How to Assemble Boccone Dolce Cake
Trim one of the previously used parchment paper cut-outs along the traced circle and put it on a serving plate. This is optional but very handy to prevent scratching your platter while slicing the cake. Also, place a very small amount of cream under the paper to prevent the cake from sliding off.
Next, put the first meringue layer on the parchment paper. Fill about ⅓ of the cream into the same piping bag with the same tip you used to pipe the meringue.
Pipe out the cream in the same moon-shaped manner as the meringue layers. Make sure your fruit is rinsed, dried, and cut, then mix it up and spread it out on top of the cream. The fruit needs to be dry so the juice doesn't leak into and discolor the meringue.
Place the second layer of meringue on top of the fruit and repeat the same steps above. Place the final meringue layer on the second and repeat the steps once more, then garnish it with a nice load of fruit!
Boccone Dolce Cake Recipe Tips
Use fresh ingredients: The fresher the ingredients, the better the taste and texture of your meringue layers. Using fresh fruit also makes a world of difference in the overall taste.
Don't overbeat the cream: Overbeating can result in an overly thick cream that won't spread properly. Be sure to only beat as long as needed per the instructions above.
Watch the temperature and timing: Too high of a temperature or too much baking time can cause the meringue layers to crack or burn. Be sure to pay close attention during these steps.
Substitutions and Variations
Typically, Boccone Dolce Cake is made with a meringue base and filled with cream and fruit the way I've shown you in this recipe. But if you're looking to switch things up a bit, here are some ideas for recipe variations:
- Tropical version: Try switching up the fruit for a tropical taste. Use mango, pineapple, and papaya with some coconut cream in the filling.
- Cinnamon variation: Use apples as the fruit with some cinnamon and pure vanilla extract in the cream for a warm, seasonal taste.
- Chocolate version: For a decadent twist, drizzle your Boccone Dolce with chocolate or dark chocolate. Warm up chocolate melts then pipe it over the top of the cake.
How to Store Boccone Dolce Cake
Leftover Boccone Dolce Cake should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator. It can last up to 5 days in the fridge, but it will start to lose its flavor and texture after that time.
If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze it by wrapping the individual pieces in plastic wrap and placing them into a freezer-safe container or bag. You can freeze it this way for up to 1 month! Allow it to thaw overnight before layering and enjoying your beautiful dessert.
Watch How to Make Boccone Dolce Cake Recipe on my YouTube Channel
Also, you can watch this recipe video on my YouTube channel HERE. If you enjoyed this video give me a big thumbs up, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel, be sure to click the Bell icon so you can be the first to know of a new video release!
Recipe Card
Classic Boccone Dolce Cake (with Berries and Cream)
Ingredients
Meringue Instructions
- 12 large room temperature eggs
- 4 cups Bakers sugar
Cream Instructions
- 5 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup sugar (I used organic sugar)
Berries You’ll Need
- 2 lbs. strawberries
- 2 lbs. raspberries
- 1 lb. blackberries
- 1 lb. blueberries
Instructions
How to Make Meringue Cake Layers
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Then place a 10" inch bottom piece of a springform pan on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Trace the circle with a pencil then cut out the circle 2" inches further away from your traced marking. Make 3 identical cut-outs of this size and set them aside.
- Next, carefully separate egg yolks from the whites. Place all 12 egg whites into an electric mixer bowl and add sugar.
- Beat the egg whites and sugar with a whisker attachment on high for about 15 minutes. Beating times may vary depending on the mixer you use. The meringue should be very thick, heavy, and smooth with no sugar granules and soft peaks when it's done.
- After that, fill a piping bag with a star tip with the meringue to about ¾ full. Flip the parchment paper cut-outs over so the pencil mark is on the bottom side.
- Pipe the meringue out in moon shapes (reverse c's), overlapping each other to form a large circle along the pencil trace line. Fill in the middle, then spread meringue evenly over the parchment paper, leaving the outer circle untouched. Repeat the same steps with all 3 parchment paper cut-outs.
Baking Meringue Cake Layers
- Now it's time to put our cake layers in the oven. First, we need to properly position the racks. The top rack should be positioned in the middle of the oven with the second rack directly beneath it.
- Place the meringue layers into the oven one at a time. Put one layer on the top rack and two layers on the bottom rack.
- You can use an aluminum cookie sheet or baking sheet to help you with this step. Gently slide the parchment paper with meringue onto the cookie sheet, then slide it from the cookie sheet to the oven rack.
- When all 3 layers are transferred to the oven, close the door and immediately reduce the temperature to 270 F. Let it bake at this temperature for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 220 F. Let it bake at 220 F for 5 hours and 53 minutes.
- The cake will bake for a total of 6 hours. Temperature control is vital in this baking process and the outcome of the finished product. Be sure to pay close attention to the temperature and timings.
- Once the 6 hours are up, turn the oven off and let the meringue cool in the oven overnight. This step is very important; it must cool down very gradually in and with the oven. If you remove it from the oven, the drastic temperature change will cause a lot of cracking.
Frosting for the Boccone Dolce Cake
- When you're ready to make the cream, chill a mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps speed up the mixing process.
- Pour 5 cups of heavy cream into the chilled bowl, then beat it for 2 minutes or until it becomes thick. Add 1 cup sugar and beat again for 30 seconds.
- Scrape the cream off the sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula and beat it again for 15 seconds. Again, the beating times may vary slightly depending on the strength of the mixer you use. Be careful not to overbeat the cream.
How to Assemble Boccone Dolce Cake
- Trim one of the previously used parchment paper cut-outs along the traced circle and put it on a serving plate. This is optional but very handy to prevent scratching your platter while slicing the cake. Also, place a very small amount of cream under the paper to prevent the cake from sliding off.
- Next, put the first meringue layer on the parchment paper. Fill about ⅓ of the cream into the same piping bag with the same tip you used to pipe the meringue.
- Pipe out the cream in the same moon-shaped manner as the meringue layers. Make sure your fruit is rinsed, dried, and cut, then mix it up and spread it out on top of the cream. The fruit needs to be dry so the juice doesn't leak into and discolor the meringue.
- Place the second layer of meringue on top of the fruit and repeat the same steps above. Place the final meringue layer on the second and repeat the steps once more, then garnish it with a nice load of fruit!
Notes
Thank you for following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
This recipe was originally posted on September 7, 2018, and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Annie says
I am making your beautiful dessert on Saturday for dessert. After I assemble it can I store it in the fridge ‘uncovered’ for about 3 hrs then take out at dessert time?
Valya's Taste of Home says
Hi Annie! Absolutely, enjoy!
Luda says
Hello Valya. Can I prepare night before or just 6 hours before I will use
Thank you
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Do you mean assemble the meringue layers the night before?
Here is what I do: I bake the meringue layers in advanced (that could be done a couple of days before the event), then the night before the event I pipe the cream and place the fruit. And then about 4 to 6 hours before the event, I stack (assemble) the layers on top of each other. This is because berries have juice and it will moisten the meringue layers.
Being assembled for 6 hours before the event means that the meringue layers get enough moist from the berries and cream that it’s not too crunchy and not too soft. This saves so much time and you will end up with the perfect Boccone Dolce cake. I hope that clarifies more. Let me know if you have more questions.
Luda says
Thank you Valya. Yes it very helpful ??
Innessa says
Hi! Can I use regular sugar for this cake recipe or does it have to be bakers sugar only ?
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
Yes, regular sugar is fine. Make sure you beat a little longer than recipe calls to. You can actually make baker sugar yourself. Place sugar into a food processor and process for about 30 seconds.