This Pugliese Easter cake has a aromatic aroma from lemon zest and vanilla and is a traditional Easter dessert. It has a light-weight texture, moist crumb and is drizzled with a vanilla glaze and adorned with sprinkles!

This Pugliese Easter cake is a scrumptious twist on the standard Scarcelle Pugliese, a traditional candy deal with made within the Puglia area throughout Easter week. Not like the unique model, which usually makes use of shortcrust pastry, this variation is made with cake flour for a lighter, extra tender texture. Further egg yolks within the dough additionally create a moist and smooth crumb.
In comparison with my Calabrian Easter bread, this cake is much less wealthy and extra delicate in taste. It’d remind you of those Italian Easter cookies, however with a stronger vanilla style plus it’s sliceable! It’s yeast free, simple to organize, and doesn’t require any particular shaping into baskets, doves, bells, bunnies or a nest!
Why I Love This Puglia Easter Cake
- A Scrumptious Custom: Scarcella is a beloved Easter cake from Puglia with many regional variations. This model is very easy without having for intricate shaping or adorning with boiled eggs, but simply as tasty.
- Fast & Straightforward: This yeast-free recipe is tremendous simple to make and enhance. It’s naturally flavored with contemporary lemon zest and completed with a candy vanilla glaze and colourful sprinkles.
Ingredient Notes
- Cake flour: You too can use pastry flour for a young, gentle texture. To make your individual cake flour, for every cup, take away 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and change with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Baking powder: Provides the cake a mild rise with out the necessity for yeast.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances taste.
- Lemon zest: Balances the sweetness and enhances taste.
- Eggs: You’ll need one complete egg and a couple of egg yolks at room temperature for wealthy taste, moisture and construction.
- Granulated sugar: Provides candy style, that is cake!
- Milk: I desire complete milk for a richer style however you need to use 2% milk.
- Vanilla extract: Provides a traditional heat, candy taste.
- Oil: Use vegetable, gentle olive, or coconut oil for a softer texture.
- For a richer style, use melted, cooled butter, or a mixture of each!
- Vanilla glaze: Powdered sugar (additionally known as icing sugar or confectioners sugar), heavy cream and vanilla.
- Sprinkles: I desire 100’s or 1000’s – jimmies or non pareils.


The right way to Make Pugliese Easter Cake
In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.


In a separate giant bowl, utilizing a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg, egg yolks, and sugar till the combination is gentle and fluffy. Stir within the milk, vanilla, and oil till every little thing is effectively mixed. Add the dry substances to the moist substances and blend till the batter is clean and lump-free.


Pour the batter into your ready cake pan and bake till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear.


Let the cake cool within the pan, then switch it to a wire rack to chill fully. As soon as it’s cool, drizzle on the vanilla glaze and end with sprinkles.


recipe ideas and variations
- Cake Texture: For a softer, fluffier cake, use solely oil within the dough. In case you desire a richer taste use butter—or attempt a mixture of each for the perfect of each worlds!
- Boiled Eggs (Conventional Contact): Within the Bari space of Puglia, it’s widespread to nestle boiled eggs into the dough. This symbolizes fertility and new beginnings.
- Stuffed with Jam or Nutella: In lots of components of Apulia, the Easter cake is filled with candy fillings like jam or Nutella. To do that, add half of the dough to the pan, unfold the filling onto the batter, add remaining dough after which bake.
- Sprinkles Are a Should—Glaze is Non-obligatory: Whether or not you glaze the Pugliese Easter cake recipe or not is as much as you! If skipping the glaze, brush the highest with egg wash and add pareils (1000’s) earlier than baking for that festive Italian look.
- Bake One to Give: Double the recipe and make an additional cake to present. This follows an previous Pugliese custom the place housewives would bake muffins to share with neighbors as a gesture of goodwill and prosperity.


Storage
- Retailer: Whereas conventional Scarcella recipes differ throughout Puglia, this cake shops effectively in an hermetic container at room temperature for just a few days just like most straightforward glazed muffins. For greatest outcomes and to forestall sticking, let glaze set earlier than storing.
- Freeze: I desire to freeze Pugliese Easter cake with out the glaze. Cool fully then wrap cake tightly in plastic then foil to forestall freezer burn and protect moisture. Thaw then add glaze and luxuriate in!
Extra Italian Easter Recipes


In case you get pleasure from Italian muffins then I hope you get pleasure from this Pugliese Easter Cake too! Glad Easter and luxuriate in!
- 2 cups cake/pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½-1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 giant egg (room temperature)
- 2 giant egg yolks (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk (2% or complete)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup oil (vegetable, coconut or gentle olive oil or melted cooled butter) 100g
VANILLA GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered/icing sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons cream (any kind)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
EXTRAS
- 2-3 tablespoons sprinkles or 1000s
-
Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour or spray an 8 or 9 inch / 20 or 23cm pan.
-
In a medium bowl whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, zest and salt.
-
In a big bowl beat collectively the egg, the yolks and sugar for 3-4 minutes till gentle. Add the milk, vanilla and oil, beat to mix. Add the dry substances and beat till clean, 1 minute.
-
Pour the batter into the ready pan and bake 25-Half-hour or till a toothpick comes out clear. Let cool 10-Quarter-hour within the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to chill fully. Drizzle with the glaze and sprinkle with the 1000s. Take pleasure in!
Retailer: Whereas conventional Scarcella recipes differ throughout Puglia, this cake shops effectively in an hermetic container at room temperature for just a few days just like most straightforward glazed muffins. For greatest outcomes and to forestall sticking, let glaze set earlier than storing.
Freeze: I desire to freeze Pugliese Easter cake with out the glaze. Cool fully then wrap cake tightly in plastic then foil to forestall freezer burn and protect moisture. Thaw then add glaze and luxuriate in!
Energy: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 6g | Fats: 18g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 129mg
Associated
It’s All About Pasta
Superb pasta recipes to make your mouth water!




Genuine Italian Desserts
75 Conventional Desserts Made Straightforward