Lemon Ciambella (Italian Ring Cake) Recipe
This classic Italian Ciambella is a light and fluffy ring cake bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients like eggs, sugar, flour, and fresh lemon zest and juice, this moist cake is perfect for breakfast, tea time, or dessert. The buttery batter bakes to golden perfection in a Bundt pan, then finished with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar for a sweet touch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 extra-large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from two medium lemons)
- 7 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 3 Tablespoons milk (whole, 2%, or fat-free half and half)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (from two medium lemons)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into cups and leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- Powdered sugar (to sprinkle on baked cake)
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: About an hour before making the cake, take the eggs out to come to room temperature. This ensures better incorporation and a lighter texture.
- Preheat and grease pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, avoiding flouring the pan to allow the batter to release easily.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt using a fine-mesh strainer to remove lumps and aerate the mixture for a tender crumb.
- Prepare lemons: Rinse and dry two medium lemons. Zest until you have 1 tablespoon of zest, then cut and juice the lemons to yield 1/2 cup lemon juice.
- Mix eggs and sugar: Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add granulated sugar, and whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla extract for fragrant flavor.
- Melt butter and combine with milk: Cut the butter into pieces, melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds covered with wax paper until almost melted, add the milk, and heat briefly more until fully melted. Whisk to combine.
- Combine batter: Add the sifted flour mixture to the egg mixture without whisking yet. Pour in the melted butter and milk mixture along with the lemon juice. Gently whisk all the ingredients just until combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cake.
- Bake the cake: Transfer the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the surface with a silicone spatula. Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and serve: Let the Ciambella cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely with the ridged side up. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar for a sweet finishing touch.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps achieve a better rise and texture.
- Do not flour the Bundt pan after greasing; it may cause uneven browning or sticking.
- Sifting dry ingredients and gentle mixing prevent a dense cake.
- Adjust baking time slightly depending on your oven’s heat distribution.
- Powdered sugar can be substituted with a light lemon glaze for extra lemon flavor.
