If you ask most people what their favorite type of cake is, they’ll probably say chocolate, or vanilla sponge, or red velvet. They might even say something a little more adventurous, like carrot or coffee cake. But we bet you’ve never heard anyone say ‘pasta cake’ before.
While the idea of a pasta cake might sound unthinkable if you’ve never tried it, we can assure you that pasta cake is not only a fun way to present baked pasta, but it’s absolutely delicious and the best savory ‘cake’ recipe ever.
Read on to find out how to make a perfect pasta cake in just 1 hour, using only 7 ingredients. Think it sounds too good to be true? Read on and we’ll prove you wrong!
What Is A Pasta Cake, And How Is It Made?
Pasta cake is not dissimilar to pasta bake. In fact, pasta cake is essentially a baked pasta dish. The difference is in the layering of the ingredients and the overall presentation.
This pasta cake is made using the honeycomb method, which involves standing the pasta upright so that it looks like a honeycomb from the top. Then, you add the tomato sauce on top of the pasta before topping with cheese and baking in the oven.
The result looks exactly like a cake made of pasta, hence why we call this recipe pasta cake. Basically, it’s a great way to make your baked pasta dishes more exciting (and Instagram-ready!)
The Perfect Pasta Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Rigatoni pasta (1 lb)
Shredded mozzarella (1 cup)
Grated Parmesan (½ cup)
Tomato pasta sauce (3 cups)
Mozzarella balls (6, halved)
Olive oil (1 tbsp)
Fresh basil
Note: You can also add other ingredients that you would normally find in a pasta dish, such as olives or extra cheese. These ingredients are best added on top of the mozzarella cheese layer.
Instructions
Make sure your oven is preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boil your pasta almost until the time specified on the packaging, but turn off the heat 2 minutes early to account for baking.
Drain the pasta and pour half of your olive oil over the top, tossing the pasta thoroughly so that it’s coated in the oil. This will stop the pieces from sticking together.
Use the rest of your oil to grease your springform pan. Make sure to grease the sides as well as the bottom.
Carefully take your individual pieces of pasta and stand them up around the edges of the pan. Make sure they’re tightly packed together so that the pasta cake retains its shape as much as possible.
Fill in the rest of the pan with the remaining pasta, again making sure there are no gaps and that the pasta is tightly packed.
Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta, making sure the surface is covered. Some sauce will drip through the pasta tubes, but this isn’t a problem.
Sprinkle your shredded mozzarella over the top of the sauce before adding the mozzarella balls and Parmesan.
It’s now time to bake your pasta cake. Place the springform pan onto another pan, lined with foil, and place a layer of foil over the top of the cake.
Allow 15 minutes for baking before removing the foil, and then put the cake back in the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pasta cake from the oven and get your cake cutter or spatula ready for serving!
Nutritional Profile
Energy (kcal): 317
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Sugar: 6 g
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Protein: 14 g
Sodium: 668 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Calcium: 164 mg
Potassium: 449 mg
Iron: 2 mg
Vitamin A: 547 IU
Vitamin C: 6 mg
*This information is for one serving of pasta cake, which is equal to ⅛ of the pie.
Serving Suggestions For Pasta Cake
Pasta cake is a whole meal on its own, so there isn’t necessarily any need to serve anything alongside it.
However, if you want to make an even more substantial meal, the cheese and tomato in the recipe lends itself to pairing with garlic bread or even garlic dough balls.
When it comes to actually serving the pasta, we recommend bringing the pan to the table so that the full effect of the cake can be admired. Then, simply use a knife (make sure it’s sharp) to cut individual slices.
If you want to ensure that the pasta cake doesn’t fall apart after you cut it, we recommend using a spatula or a cake cutter to transfer the slices from the pan onto the plates. Just make sure to serve the cake while it’s still hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Other Kinds of Pasta For Pasta Cake?
We’ve chosen to use rigatoni pasta for this pasta cake because the straight-edged tubes stand up better than other kinds of pasta. Penne pasta, for example, has diagonal edges, so it would be difficult to make the individual pasta pieces stand up.
There are other ways to make pasta cake that don’t involve standing up the pieces of pasta, but in our opinion, these pasta cakes usually don’t look as presentable.
If you only have penne, farfalle, or even spaghetti pasta available, you can still make pasta cake, but you probably won’t be able to arrange the pasta upright.
For example, you could make a carbonara pasta cake using spaghetti, but the pasta would be mixed into the sauce and baked into the shape of the pan.
What Other Versions Of Pasta Cake Can I Make?
Just like regular cake, you can infuse your pasta cake with various different flavors by using different ingredients.
Some of our favorite alternative versions of this pasta cake include Mediterranean pasta cake with feta and olives, or Alfredo pasta cake with a creamy sauce and shredded chicken.
You could also just add extra ingredients, such as Italian sausage, spinach, or a different kind of cheese.
We even recommend swapping out the tomato pesto for basil pesto and seeing which one you prefer.
Can You Freeze Pasta Cake?
We wouldn’t recommend freezing this pasta cake to eat later because pasta doesn’t tolerate being reheated once it’s cooled down very well.
In order to reheat pasta after freezing it, you’ll need to cook it at a high temperature, and this could make the pasta turn mushy.
However, if you do have leftover pasta cake, you don’t have to throw it away immediately. It should keep in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.
The pasta may dry out slightly during this time, but you can salvage it by lightly sprinkling some water over the top before putting it in the oven.
Final Thoughts
Pasta cake is one of our favorite twists on the classic pasta bake recipe, and we hope you’ll have as much fun with this recipe as we do!
Remember to boil your pasta for 2 minutes less than you normally would so that it doesn’t overcook while baking, and don’t forget to cover the top of the cake for the first 15 minutes of cooking time to prevent the cheese layer from burning.
Don’t be afraid to try creative ingredient combinations in your pasta cake, and most importantly, enjoy the process!
Make sure your oven is preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boil your pasta almost until the time specified on the packaging, but turn off the heat 2 minutes early to account for baking.
Drain the pasta and pour half of your olive oil over the top, tossing the pasta thoroughly so that it’s coated in the oil. This will stop the pieces from sticking together.
Use the rest of your oil to grease your springform pan. Make sure to grease the sides as well as the bottom.
Carefully take your individual pieces of pasta and stand them up around the edges of the pan. Make sure they’re tightly packed together so that the pasta cake retains its shape as much as possible.
Fill in the rest of the pan with the remaining pasta, again making sure there are no gaps and that the pasta is tightly packed.
Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta, making sure the surface is covered. Some sauce will drip through the pasta tubes, but this isn’t a problem.
Sprinkle your shredded mozzarella over the top of the sauce before adding the mozzarella balls and Parmesan.
It’s now time to bake your pasta cake. Place the springform pan onto another pan, lined with foil, and place a layer of foil over the top of the cake.
Allow 15 minutes for baking before removing the foil, and then put the cake back in the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pasta cake from the oven and get your cake cutter or spatula ready for serving!
Hello, I’m Jenna Hansen, the creator of ImpatientFoodie.com. As a mom of two, I know how hard it is to plan meals everyday, especially healthy, tasty, and interesting foods that the whole family will like.
This is what inspired me to create ImpatientFoodie.com. I wanted to share my recipes, and my love of good food with the world.
I hope that you love reading about our dishes as much as I have enjoyed making them, and start making a change to your lifestyle today with balanced, healthy, and oh-so delicious meals.
