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8. Place one of the bottom layers on a serving platter; spread with 1 cup lemon filling. Top with another cake layer; spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat with another cake layer and filling; top with the remaining cake layer. Cover the entire cake with plastic wrap, and carefully transfer to the refrigerator, steadying it with your hands to keep the layers from sliding. Chill until filling is firm, at least 2 hours.

9. When ready to serve, frost the cake and garnish with poppy seeds.

pastiera with strawberry sauce

MAKES ONE 8-INCH CAKE

1 quart whole milk

¾ cup arborio rice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1¼ cups granulated sugar

Unsalted butter, for the pan

All-purpose flour, for the pan

3 pounds fresh ricotta cheese, drained 3 hours or, preferably, overnight

3 whole large eggs plus 3 large yolks, lightly beaten

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla bean. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the rice is very tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about 30 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in ¾ cup granulated sugar. Cover; let cool, stirring occasionally. Discard the vanilla bean.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, combine the rice mixture, ricotta, whole eggs and egg yolks, and remaining ½ cup sugar. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until golden on top and almost set in the center, 65 to 70 minutes; cover with foil if starting to brown too much. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

4. When the cake has completely cooled, run a knife around the edge to loosen. Gently remove the ring; transfer the cake to a serving platter. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, and serve with sauce.

strawberry sauce

MAKES 1½ CUPS

1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ABOUT PASTIERA

Pastiera, a traditional Neopolitan Easter “pie,” is actually a type of cheesecake. Though no two recipes are alike, all contain ricotta cheese and a sweetened grain (usually rice or wheat berries), symbolizing spring’s fertility.

cheesecake with poached apricot halves

MAKES ONE 8-INCH SQUARE CAKE

Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the pan

1½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

16 Poached Apricot Halves (Basics)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper; set the pan aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the lemon juice.

3. Fill the prepared pan with the cream cheese mixture. Smooth the top with a spatula. Place the pan in a larger baking pan, and transfer to the oven. Pour enough hot water into the larger baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake until the cake is just set in the center and lightly browned on top, about 35 minutes.

4. Transfer the cheesecake from the water bath to a wire rack. While cake is slightly warm, after about 30 minutes (it will be harder to unmold once cake has cooled longer), invert onto a platter. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

5. To serve, arrange poached apricot halves, cut side down, on top of the cheesecake, allowing the juice to pool on the surface and drizzle down the edges.

hummingbird cake

MAKES ONE 9-INCH LAYER CAKE

Unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups