Ciambella: The Italian Easter Cake You’ll Eat All Year Long

Photography @elvira_dolci_e_cucina_

It’s often the humblest recipes that steal the show. Al dente pasta in a creamy lemon sauce. Roasted potatoes with a hint of rosemary. The dishes that can be whipped up with a few ingredients and minimal thought. Such is the ciambella, an understated — and we might argue, underrated —Italian delight. Not as fancy as the semifreddo or as ubiquitous as the tiramisu, this wholesome breakfast cake is soft, never-too-sweet and usually zested with a little lemon or orange. It only requires a few basic ingredients — sugar, flour, eggs, oil, yogurt — making it the ideal blank canvas which every nonna can make her own. Hence, its other moniker, ‘ciambellone della nonna’ or ‘grandma’s donuts.’

Some say the origins of this cake can be traced back to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy where it was eaten as a special Easter treat with cured salami, when things like sugar and eggs would have been considered a luxury. But these days, many regions of Italy claim the ciambella as an official traditional food product. While the Romagna version is baked, in Calabria and Campania it is typically fried and covered in caster sugar. You can find half yogurt, half chocolate versions, sweetly dubbed ciambella abbraccio or ‘donut hug.’ Other varieties include aniseed or are doused in rose water. 

Most commonly, the ciambella is prepared in a bundt pan, giving it its distinctive hole in the middle and inspiring the expression, ‘non tutte le ciambelle escono col buco.’ Loosely translated: ‘not every donut has a hole.’ A phrase you can often catch people saying in Italy when something doesn’t go as planned. The saying comes into greater focus when you consider that the classic ciambella romagnola is actually a rustic loaf shaped cake and not a traditional ringed donut at all.

While the ciambella is typically served in the morning alongside a strong espresso or creamy caffèlatte — and perhaps with a swipe of Nutella or marmalade if the mood strikes — this treat can also easily be dressed up with whipped cream and cut fruits for dessert. Below is a variation we’ve made countless times when we want to quickly satisfy a craving or have guests coming and need a last-minute crowd pleaser. Give it a try. Once you do, we think you’ll always want to have some on hand.

Ciambella Recipe

Recipe tried & tested by The Suitest via An Italian In My Kitchen

The cake

+ 1 cup and 1 tablespoon cake flour
+ 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
+ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
+ pinch salt
+ the zest of 1, room temperature orange
+ 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of room temperature, whole greek yogurt
+ 1/2 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
+ 1/2 cup olive oil
+ 2 eggs (room temperature)

— Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan or bundt pan.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest, then add yogurt, sugar, oil, egg and the flour mixture and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined.

Pour into cake pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Let cool completely before glazing.

The glaze

+ juice from 1/2 orange, or 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how thick you want it

+ 2/3 cup of powdered sugar

— Mix together juice and powdered sugar, add more sugar depending on how thick you want the glaze. Let the cake cool completely before glazing. Then, mangiare!