Ciambellone (Italian Ring Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Easy

A tall, tender ring cake of flour, eggs, sugar and lemon with a golden crust and a soft crumb. It is the plain home baker's cake of Italy, dunked in coffee or milk. Makes 10 slices in about 1 hr 30 min.

Prep 15 min

Cook 45 min

Cooling 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Yield 10 slices

Ingredients

Adjust yield

slices

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (12 g)baking powder
1 pinch (1 g)salt
3 (150 g)eggs, room temperature
1 cup (200 g)granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp (3 g)lemon zest
½ cup (120 ml)whole milk
½ cup (120 ml)neutral oil or melted butter
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)powdered sugar, for dusting

Fresh ingredient guides

LemonsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 24 kcal per 84 g

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour a 9- to 10-inch (23 to 25 cm) tube or ring pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Beat the eggs, sugar and zest 4 to 5 minutes until pale and thick. Whisk in the milk, oil and vanilla.
Fold in the dry ingredients just until smooth.
Scrape into the pan, tap on the counter, and level the top.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes, turn out onto a rack, cool completely, and dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

Beat the eggs well; they are the main leavening.
Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes.
Add a splash of liqueur or a handful of chocolate chips for a variation.
Good with cappuccino.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make ciambellone (italian ring cake)?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 10 slices.

How should I store ciambellone (italian ring cake)?

Cover and keep at room temperature up to 4 days.

Can I make ciambellone (italian ring cake) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with cappuccino.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

296 Calories / serving

11.1g Fat

43.6g Carbs

5.4g Protein

20.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~2960 cal · 111g fat · 436g carbs · 54g protein · 209g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.