Torta della nonna translates to “grandmother’s cake,” and it really does taste like something only an authentic Italian grandma could come up with.

The sweet and silky pastry cake typically involves a lemon- and vanilla-flavored custard filling and a topping of pine nuts and/or powdered sugar, with regional variations allowed.

Torta sbrisolona’s name comes from the Mantuan word “brisa,” meaning “crumbs.” The crumbly, crunchy cake is subtly seasoned with almond, vanilla, and lemon zest.

This cookie-like cake is traditionally broken and eaten with the hands. The locals usually pair it with a strong digestivo such as grappa or a sweet dessert wine like vin santo.

Cassata is a traditional Sicilian sponge cake involving multiple slabs of cake soaked in rum and/or fruit juices between cushions of cinnamon-laced sweetened ricotta.

Caprese is a designation that means “of Capri” in Italian. Torta Caprese hails from Capri, where an Italian chef, Carmine di Fiore, allegedly invented it by accident.

The chef, supposedly, forgot to add flour to his batter, which contained bittersweet chocolate, butter, ground almonds, sugar, and eggs, resulting in a flourless chocolate cake.

This delectable chocolate cake mixes chopped dark chocolate and whole chopped pears into its batter. Some recipes even layer the pear slices atop the cake.