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Katy in Umbria

Umbria: a local's perspective for an authentic Italian escape

You are here: Home / Food / Recipes / Ciaramicola: an easy to make cake to celebrate Easter

Ciaramicola: an easy to make cake to celebrate Easter

04/08/19 | Recipes, Spring

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A recipe for Ciaramicola, a traditional Easter cake from Perugia, Italy.

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Are you looking for a cake recipe to add some Italian Easter flavours to your table?

recipe for a traditional Italian Easter Cake
The last Ciaramicola I baked, but forgot to buy sprinkles for.

Umbria is famous in Italy for their Torta di Pasqua, or Easter Cake. But the name is deceiving. Torta di Pasqua is actually a cheese bread that is great with cured meats.

But Perugia also has a sweet Easter cake, called Ciaramicola.

I look forward to making this traditional Italian Easter Cake every year for friends and family.

It’s good and so pretty!

Ciramicola
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Ciramicola: An Italian Cake for Easter

A Traditional cake from Perugia, Umbria for Easter.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Ciramicola, Easter Cake

Ingredients

  • 170 grams Butter at room temperature (6 ounces)
  • 330 grams Flour sifted (3 cups)
  • 4 eggs 3 egg yolks in batter/3 egg whites in meringue
  • 200 grams White sugar (1 cup)
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 Lemon Unwaxed, zest and juice is used
  • 120 ml Alchemeres Liqueur substitues: Grand Marnier, Curacao, Grenadine
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 125 grams sugar for meringue
  • Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

  • Turn on oven to 350F or 180C
  • Grease and flour a ring pan. I use butter.
  • Seperate 3 eggs. Put the 3 eggs whites aside.
  • Add the 4th egg to the egg yolks, butter and the 200 grams of sugar in a bowl and beat.
  • When it becomes smooth and creamy add the lemon zest, lemon juice and Alchemers (or substitute)
  • Mix well.
  • Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl. Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • In small amounts add the dry ingredients into the egg yolk/butter/sugar and mix.
  • Put into the prepared ring pan and let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Put in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes.
  • About 15 minutes before the cake is finished baking begin the meringue.
  • In the clean bowl beat the eggs whites until they start to thicken.
  • Continue beating the egg whites but add the 125 grams of sugar a tablespoon at a time.
  • Once the egg whites hold their shape and are glossy, stop beating them.
  • Check if the cake is ready by sticking a knife in and seeing if it comes out clean.
  • Once baked, turn the oven off but keep the door closed.
  • Run a knife along the sides of the pan to free the cake and turn out onto a baking sheet.
  • While the cake is still hot add the meringue icing on top. Sprinkle the sprinkles on top!
  • Return the cake to the oven for a minimum of 15 minutes so that the meringue cooks.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool before enjoying.

Notes

If you can’t find Alchermes and would like to make your own there is a recipe here.

A Traditional Italian Easter Cake from Perugia: the Ciaramicola

Ciaramicola is a lemon cake with Alchermes liqueur to create the red colour and to add spices into the flavor.

The cake gets its sweetness from the meringue icing on top. And best of all this eye-catching traditional Italian Easter cake is pretty and easy to make.

Traditionally the cake was made by the young women to give to their sweethearts on Easter Day in Perugia. Or they so did in the past. The Ciaramicola is a traditional Italian Easter cake from Perugia.

As well as a romantic gesture, the cake is a symbol of the city of Perugia.

The red cake and the white meringue icing represents the Perugia’s coat of arms, the colours of the city; red and white.

Shaped in a ring, on top are colourful sprinkles which should be yellow, blue, green, red and white.

The sprinkles on top of a Ciaramicola are supposed to represent the 5 neighborhoods of Perugia:

Porta Sole is represented with the white for all the marble.

Porta Sant’Angelo is represented with red. Historically it was the place to buy firewood.

Porta Susanna is represented with blue as it leads to Lake Trasimeno.

Porta Eburnea is represented with green as it looks out on the woods and vineyards.

And Porta San Pietro is yellow as it looks out onto wheat fields.

At one time the cake was made with a cross in the center, joining all 5 neighborhoods together.

I’ve never seen one in a bakery with the cross, but I like the idea.

A Recipe for Ciaramicola:

Butter 170 grams or 6 ounces of room temperature butter

Flour  330 grams or 3 cups of sifted flour

4 eggs 3 of which the whites are used in the meringue and the yokes in the batter

Sugar 200 grams or 1 cup

Baking Powder 2 teaspoons

Baking Soda 1 teaspoon

1 Lemon, the zest and juice

Alchermes Liqueur ½ cup or 120 ml Don’t have this red liqueur? Here’s what it is and alternatives.

Salt ½ teaspoon

3 large Egg Whites

Sugar 1 ¼ cups or 125 grams

Sprinkles for decorating on top

How to make this Traditional Italian Easter Cake

Turn the oven on at 350F or 180C.

Butter and flour the ring pan, or whatever you prefer to stop cakes from sticking.

Put the egg, egg yolks, butter and sugar into a bowl and beat.

Once it has become smooth and creamy add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and Alchermes and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Begin to add the dry ingredients to the liquids in small amounts.

Once it is combined well pour into the prepared pan. Let it sit for 10 minutes before putting in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

When the cake has 15 minutes left begin making the meringue icing.

Add the 3 egg whites to a clean bowl and start beating them.

Once they start to thicken add the sugar a tablespoon at a time.

Stop when it is glossy and you can turn the bowl upside down without the whites coming out.

Once the cake is cooked remove from the oven.

Check with sticking a knife in the middle, when it comes out clean it’s cooked.

Turn off the oven but keep the door shut. Run a knife along the sides and turn out onto a baking sheet.

While the cake is still hot decorate with the meringue and put back into the oven for at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy Your Easter With A Ciaramicola Cake

It is a lovely centerpiece for any brunch or afternoon tea at Easter or through out spring.

Looking for other Umbrian recipes? For Father’s Day I love making these homemade donuts.

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