March 06

Michelangelo Buonarroti's Birthday
 

Charlton Heston as Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)


Michelangelo's genius was not his art. It was his vision of life and the way that he used his art to translate and communicate that vision to us.  Michelangelo's work was basically a metaphor for his vision of a higher plane of existence, of man's eternal struggle with himself and others, and how to reconcile  and communicate hat vision and struggle.

Michelangelo's life and art were a constant struggle between human and divine beauty. As Michelangelo grew older and began to contemplate the meaning of life, his works began to represent life's inner turmoil. The bodies that he created took on more heroic proportions and symbolized the dimension of the struggle within.  

If Michelangelo was concerned about God's judgment of his homoerotic yearnings, he had a right to be. God may have inspired someone to cast the 6'3", homophobic Charlton Heston to play the diminutive, tortured Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) as the artist's punishment.  Thankfully, there are several excellent documentary films on the artist/architect/poet including Robert Snyder's pair of films: The Titan: Story of Michelangelo (1950). and Michelangelo: Self-Portrait (1989).

In Italy,  where his architecture is celebrated as much as his sculpture, paintings, and drawings,  Michelangelo's birthday is celebrated with a wonderful cake, Zucotto alla Michelangelo. The word zucotto means dome or pumpkin, a reference to the dome-shaped basilica of St. Peter's which Michelangelo designed and which the cake represents. Enjoy it with Michelangelo: Self-Portrait.
 

Zucotto alla Michelangelo
 (Michelangelo's Dome Shaped Cake)

 


Spongecake Ingredients
 
Cream Filling Ingredients
 

12 eggs, separated
2 cups powdered sugar
2 TB vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup maraschino liqueur
 

 1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup maraschino liqueur
2 cups cup whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1 oz unsweetened chocolate; grated


 
Instructions for cake
  1. Preheat over to 350° F. Butter and flour 3  9" cake pans.
  2. Combine egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large bowl and beat for about 8 minutes, or until thick and lemon colored.
  3. Combine egg whites and salt in a separate bowl and beat until whites hold soft peaks. Fold whites into yolk-mixture.
  4. Sift flour, cornstarch, and cream of tartar in a separate bowl. Fold into yolk mixture.
  5. Pour batter evenly into 3 cake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert cakes on racks to cool.
Instructions for nuts
 
  1. Bake hazelnuts in ungreased baking pan at 400° F for 5 minutes or until skins begin to crack.  
  2. Wrap hazelnuts in clean towel. Let stand 2 minutes.  
  3. Rub hazelnuts in towel to remove skins. Chop hazelnuts. Return to baking pan.  
  4. Bake about 8 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool.

Instructions for filling
 
  1. Beat together whipping cream and powdered sugar in chilled medium bowl until stiff. Fold in hazelnuts, cherries and chocolate. 
  2. Spoon filling into cake-lined bowl. Place remaining cake pieces on filling. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Instructions for assembly
 
  1. Spray a 5-quart bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bowl with plastic wrap.. The bowl  should not be more than 10" in diameter.
  2. When cakes are cool, cut 2 of the cakes in pieces to cover bottom of and line sides of a 5-quart bowl or mold. The bowl or mold should not be more than 10" in diameter. After putting pieces in place, sprinkle cake with 2/3rds of maraschino liqueur.
  3. Spoon in filing. Cover with remaining layer of cake. Cover top of bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  4. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap. Cover with serving dish. Invert and tap on top of bowl to loosen. Remove bowl and plastic wrap.

Serves 10
 
© 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes