Torta Mimosa is an elegant Italian cake designed to resemble the mimosa flower traditionally given to women on International Women’s Day. It combines a very light sponge (Pan di Spagna) with a creamy filling made from pastry cream folded into chantilly cream for a silky, decadent result.
In Italy, sprigs of mimosa flowers are given to women every March 8th, and the cake that imitates those blossoms is a popular seasonal treat. If you visit Italy during that time you’ll likely see Mimosa cakes in many bakeries and homes.
The sponge used is Pan di Spagna, an airy cake made by whipping whole eggs and sugar until very pale and fluffy. The baked sponge is soaked in a light sugar syrup — often spiked with a touch of liqueur — then layered with a filling made by folding cold crema pasticcera (pastry cream) into whipped cream to make a chantilly-style cream.
The finished cake is finished by covering its exterior with small sponge cubes or crumbs to mimic the look of mimosa flower clusters. It’s perfect for International Women’s Day, spring celebrations, Easter or any special occasion.
See the recipe below with ingredient notes, step-by-step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card section.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Egg yolks / eggs — Using eggs with deep orange yolks gives a naturally yellow sponge without food coloring. If your eggs are paler, the sponge will be paler or you can add a drop of yellow food coloring.
- Sugar — Caster (extra-fine) sugar produces the best texture, but regular granulated sugar works.
- Italian 00 flour — You can substitute all-purpose flour if 00 flour is unavailable.
- Vanilla — Vanilla bean paste, a scraped vanilla pod or vanilla extract all work well. Avoid artificial vanilla essence.
- Liqueur — Strega or Limoncello are traditional choices for the syrup; omit if you prefer no alcohol.
Step by step photos and instructions
To make the sponge
Grease two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans with butter, line the bottoms with parchment and lightly dust the sides with flour. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) static.
Place 6 eggs, the sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer or bowl and whisk on medium speed for 15–20 minutes until the mixture is very pale, thick and ribbon-like when the whisk is lifted.
Gently sift the flour and cornstarch over the whipped eggs, adding 1–2 tablespoons at a time. Fold each addition carefully, scraping the bowl so no pockets of flour remain.
Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake on the bottom shelf for about 40 minutes. When baking completes, leave the cakes in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 5 minutes, then remove to cool. Once cool to the touch, run a knife around the edges and turn out the cakes to cool completely on a rack.
Make the pastry cream (Crema Pasticcera)
Tip: prepare the pastry cream while the cakes bake so it has time to cool.
Warm the milk with vanilla and add a strip of lemon peel (avoid the white pith). Bring just to a simmer, then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until combined, then whisk in cornstarch until smooth.
Remove the lemon peel and slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour into a shallow dish to cool quickly and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin.
Once the pastry cream is cold, fold it into whipped cream to make the chantilly filling.
Make the sugar water
Combine 125 ml (1/2 cup) water and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sugar dissolves. Cool and stir in 2 tablespoons Strega or Limoncello, if using.
Make the chantilly cream
Whip 450 ml (2 cups) heavy cream with 5 tablespoons powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Lightly loosen the cold pastry cream and fold in the whipped cream in three additions until smooth. Chill until assembly.
Assembling the cake
Trim the top crust from one sponge and slice it into three even layers. From the second sponge, remove the crust from top and sides, cut into slices, then into strips and finally into small cubes approximately 1 cm square — these will form the mimosa “flowers” on the outside.
Place the bottom sponge layer on a serving plate and brush with the sugar water. Spread one third of the filling over the layer, top with the next sponge layer, brush with syrup and add another third of the filling. Finish with the top layer, then cover the entire cake with the remaining cream.
Press the small sponge cubes evenly all over the top and sides of the cake until fully covered to recreate the look of mimosa blossoms. Chill briefly before serving.
Serve chilled. The cake keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, though the sponge cubes on the exterior can dry out — reserve a little sugar water to lightly dampen them if needed before serving.
Ways to decorate your mimosa cake
Two common finishing methods recreate the mimosa effect:
- Cubes — Small 1 cm sponge cubes pressed onto the cream for a textured blossom look.
- Crumbs — Crumbling the second sponge and coating the cake for a softer, more unified surface.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Read the full recipe first — The cake involves several components, so review all steps and photos or the video before you start.
- Yellow sponge — Deep-orange yolks produce a naturally yellow sponge. If you can’t find them, use regular eggs or a small amount of food coloring.
- Prepare tins carefully — Grease and line pans, and dust the sides lightly with flour to ensure an even release.
- Don’t open the oven too soon — Bake for the full 40 minutes without opening the door, then allow the cakes to rest in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 5 minutes to prevent sinking.
- Keep exterior cubes moist — If the sponge cubes dry out after a day, gently dab them with reserved sugar water before serving.
Yes. You can prepare the sponge, pastry cream and sugar water in advance, or assemble the cake 1–2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Stored in the fridge, the cake keeps up to 3 days. Note exterior sponge cubes may dry out over time.
More Italian desserts to try
Italian Desserts
Zuccotto (Sponge Cake with Ricotta Filling)
Breakfast
Italian Breakfast Bundt Cake – Ciambella Allo Yogurt
Italian Desserts
Torta della Nonna: Italian Custard Tart
Italian Desserts
Crostata di Frutta (Italian Fruit Tart)
If you try this Mimosa Cake recipe or other recipes, please rate and leave a comment — feedback is always appreciated.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and video to help make the recipe successfully.
Torta Mimosa (Italian Mimosa Cake)
By Emily
Equipment
- 2 x 8 inch (20cm) springform cake pans
- Baking parchment
- Stand mixer or electric whisk
Ingredients
For the sponge (Pan di Spagna)
- 6 medium eggs (300g)
- 130 g (1 cup) Italian 00 flour (or all-purpose)
- 130 g (1 cup) corn starch
- 260 g (1.5 cups) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Butter for greasing
For the pastry cream (Crema Pasticcera)
- 4 egg yolks
- 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 30 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch
- 500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk
- Peel of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla
Chantilly cream
- 450 ml (2 cups) heavy cream
- 5 tbsp powdered sugar (55 g)
Sugar water
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) water
- 2 tbsp caster or granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Strega or Limoncello (optional)
Instructions
To make the sponge
- Grease and line two 8-inch pans. Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) static.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt for 15–20 minutes until thick and pale.
- Sift flour and cornstarch over the batter in small additions, folding gently each time.
- Divide into pans and bake on the bottom shelf for about 40 minutes. Leave in oven with door ajar for 5 minutes, then cool completely.
Make the pastry cream
- Warm milk with vanilla and lemon peel to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Whisk yolks with sugar, then whisk in cornstarch.
- Temper the yolks with a little hot milk, return to the saucepan and cook on medium-low until thick. Cool with plastic wrap touching the surface.
Make the sugar water
- Boil 125 ml water with 2 tbsp sugar until dissolved. Cool and stir in liqueur if using.
Make the chantilly cream
- Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Fold cold pastry cream into whipped cream in three additions. Chill until use.
Assembling the cake
- Slice one sponge into 3 layers. From the second sponge cut away crusts and cut into 1 cm cubes.
- Brush each sponge layer with sugar water and spread one third of the filling between layers.
- Cover the assembled cake with remaining cream and press sponge cubes over the top and sides until fully covered.
Notes
- Read the whole recipe first — multiple components benefit from prior planning.
- Use deeply colored yolks for a natural yellow sponge or add a touch of food coloring if desired.
- Do not open the oven in the first 40 minutes of baking to avoid sinking.
- The cake stores well for up to 3 days in the fridge; exterior cubes may dry, so keep some syrup to refresh them.
Nutrition
Calories: 517 kcal | Carbohydrates: 69 g | Protein: 9 g | Fat: 23 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.