Last updated on July 27th, 2025.
Ciambellone is a scrumptious, lemony Italian Breakfast Cake and a beloved classic that graces tables across the country. It brings a sense of warmth and tradition to each slice.
Ciambellone, literally translates to “big donut” in Italian, is a ring-shaped cake that holds a special place in Italian households, and let’s face it, nothing says ‘culinary creativity’ like naming your cake after a big donut in another language. This cake is made using simple ingredient is sort of like a piece of appliance in the kitchen, its almost always there offering a comforting piece of soft, tender slice. Kind of like my Classic Marble Cake, and a giant Jar of these Greek Butter Cookies.
Ingredients
To embark on your Ciambellone baking journey, gather the following ingredients:
- All-purpose flour. Using unbleached flour, bleached or cake flour will result in a dryer cake. You can learn about it in my cookbook Baking Science.
- Baking powder
- Milk at room temperature. Replace it with buttermilk, sour cream, or plant-based milk.
- Lemons. We will use the lemons to zest them and squeeze the juice. The lemon zest will provide flavor, while the lemon juice will contribute to the moist and tender texture of the cake. For the Orange cake version, check out this Orange Italian Hangover Cake.
- Sugar. Stick to granulated sugar; do not reduce the amount, or the cake will turn out dense and dry.
- Unsalted butter, soft
- Olive oil. Use the brand you love; replacing it with vegetable oil is ok.
- Eggs, at room temperature
How to make Ciambellone
This recipe can be made using a sand mixer, a large bowl, and a hand mixer.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. In a measuring cup, mix the lemon juice and milk.
- Zest the lemons over the sugar and use a fork to rub the zest into the sugar.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil and beat for about two more minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each egg to completely incorporate before adding the next.
- Reduce speed to low, then add the dry ingredients alternating with the liquids.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake.
Tips
- For a citrusy twist, try using orange zest or lime zest instead of lemon. And don’t skip the zest; it is different from the juice. Lemon zest is the yellow part of the skin, and it is rich with lemon flavor, while the juice is mostly water and provides acidity to the recipe.
- Experiment with adding a handful of raisins or chopped nuts for extra texture. Another way to add a layer of flavor is with dried fennel seed or ground anise star.
- Dust the finished Ciambellone with powdered sugar for a decorative touch.
Storing, yield, and making ahead
To keep your Ciambellone fresh, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap the cake with plastic wrap, whole or in individual slices, place in a freeze bag, and freeze for up to one month.
Traditionally, a ring-shaped pan is used for this Ciambella recipe, but you can use any 10-12 cups bundt pan or two 8, 9-inch loaf pans.
Ciambellone is an excellent make-ahead recipe. Bake and cool the cake, then wrap it tightly before storing. Reheat slices in the oven or enjoy at room temperature
Don’t forget to tag @OneSarcasticBaker on Instagram whenever you bake this recipe. Would love to see your creations!
Ciambellone Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Cups All-purpose flour (360g)
- 1 Tablespoon Baking powder
- 3/4 Cup Milk, at room temperature (180ml)
- 2 Lemons
- 1 1/2 Cups Sugar (300g)
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter at room temperature (225g)
- 1/2 Cup Olive oil (100g)
- 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and grease one ten cups ring pan, or bundt pan.
- In a large bowl or a bowl of a standing mixer, measure the sugar and zest the lemons and use a fork to rub the zest into the sugar.
- Squeeze the lemons with the milk and set aside. (The milk might curd when you add the lemon juice, but that's ok)
- In a medium owl, measure and sift the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Add the butter to the sugar and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for the egg to completely blend in before adding the next.
- Scrap the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternating with the milk mixture in three additions, starting and ending with the flour.
- Once you have added the last portion of the flour, turn the mixer off, and use a rubber spatula to mix in any flour residues.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake over the middle oven rack for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs from the center of the cake.
Notes
- Before baking, carefully read the recipe, measure the ingredients, and allow them to reach room temperature.
- Consider using orange or lime zest instead of lemon zest for a zesty variation. Ensure not to omit the zest, as it differs from the juice; lemon zest, found in the yellow part of the skin, imparts rich lemon flavor, while the juice contributes primarily to the recipe’s acidity.
- Enhance the texture by incorporating a handful of raisins or chopped nuts. Another option for an additional flavor dimension is the inclusion of dried fennel seeds or ground star anise.
- Finish off the Ciambellone by dusting it with powdered sugar for a decorative touch.
Looks delicious, planning to make this coming Sunday. Question, can I add some chocolate chips to the batter?
Yes, you can fold 3/4 cup of chocolate chips (I recommend mini chocolate chips) along with the last portion of the flour. Consider maybe replacing the lemon zest and juice (up to a 1/4 cup) with orange.
Once again, this looks amazing. Adding it to my menu for my husband’s birthday brunch this weekend.
Thanks Susan,
That’s awesome, let me know how it turns out!
I would like to use oranges instead of lemons, but how much of the juice should I use? The juice of 2 oranges seems like too much juice.
You are right, use no more than 1/4 cup of orange juice. The flavor will come from the zest, you can can zest 1 large or even two oranges.
Looks beautiful. Did by have Bundt pan, what other pan can I use? I have loaf or round or tray
Thank you
Loaf pan is the best alternative. Fill the pan no more than 3/4 full.