Cassatta Baked Alaska Recipe

Prepare and bake sponge

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-inch round cake pan (or two 6-inch pans for layering) with parchment and lightly grease. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high until pale, thick and tripled in volume (about 5–7 minutes). Fold in vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients over the whipped eggs in two additions and gently fold with a spatula, preserving the air. Fold in the melted butter gently until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back, about 12–16 minutes for a 9-inch thin sponge or 10–12 minutes for 6-inch layers. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.

Trim and shape base

Once cool, if making a baked alaska dome about 6–7 inches diameter, trim the sponge to a neat 1/2-inch-thick round or cut into rounds to fit the base of the ice cream dome. Reserve extra sponge for serving or second layer.

Soften and flavor ice creams

Let the vanilla and chocolate ice creams sit at room temperature until soft but not melted, about 8–12 minutes. Transfer softened vanilla ice cream to a bowl and fold in candied orange peel, chopped maraschino cherries and 1 tablespoon amaretto if using. Fold gently to keep some texture. Stir the dark chocolate chips into the chocolate ice cream.

Assemble ice cream dome

Line a medium mixing bowl (about 1.5–2 quart) with plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang. Press a layer of vanilla-cassata mixture into the bowl to form the base hemisphere, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Add a thin round slice of sponge cake on top of that vanilla layer to create an internal cake layer. Spread a layer of chocolate ice cream over the sponge, leaving a small central depression. If desired, add a few more cherries or chips. Finish by topping with the remaining vanilla ice cream to form a full dome, smoothing the surface. Fold plastic wrap over the top and freeze until very firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Unmold onto sponge base

When the dome is fully frozen, invert the bowl onto the reserved sponge cake round on a baking sheet to create the baked alaska base: place the sponge on the serving plate, then quickly invert the frozen ice cream hemisphere onto the sponge. Peel off plastic wrap. Return the assembled cake (sponge + dome) to the freezer while you prepare the meringue, at least 20 minutes.

Make Swiss meringue (or Italian if preferred)

For Swiss-style: set a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot of water (double-boiler) making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Combine the 4 egg whites, 1 cup sugar, cream of tartar and 1/8 tsp salt in the bowl. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches about 140°F (or feels smooth and warm and no sugar grains remain when rubbed). Remove from heat and whip with an electric mixer on high until glossy, stiff peaks form and the bowl is cooled to room temperature (5–8 minutes). Add 1/2 tsp vanilla at the end. For Italian meringue: cook sugar and water to 240°F and pour into whipped whites — either method yields a stable, glossy meringue.

Coat the frozen dome

Remove the frozen cassata dome from the freezer. Working quickly, use a spatula to spread the meringue over the entire dome and the sponge base so no ice cream is exposed. Create decorative peaks and swirls with the back of a spoon or piping bag as desired. If using corn syrup, brush a thin gloss over peaks for shine (optional).

Torch or bake briefly

For a browned finish: use a kitchen blowtorch to carefully brown the meringue evenly until golden — keep the torch moving to avoid overcooking. Alternatively, preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) and bake the assembled meringue-covered dome on a baking sheet for 2–4 minutes, watching constantly until lightly browned. Return to freezer for 10 minutes if needed before serving to stabilize.

Final touches

Dust a little cocoa powder or grated chocolate around the base or on the plate for visual contrast. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. If you prefer a spectacular reveal, briefly torch only the top leaving sides white for a classic baked alaska look.

Slice and serve

For clean slices, let the baked alaska sit at room temperature 1–2 minutes, then use a hot, dry knife (dip in hot water and wipe dry between cuts) to slice. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 generous servings.