Pugliese Easter Cake

Cake on a glass stand with a slice on a white plate.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This Pugliese Easter cake has a fragrant aroma from lemon zest and vanilla and is a classic Easter dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Rosemary Molloy

Ingredients

2 cups cake/pastry flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½-1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 large egg (room temperature)
2 large egg yolks (room temperature)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup milk (2% or whole)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup oil (vegetable, coconut or light olive oil or melted cooled butter) 100g

VANILLA GLAZE

1 cup powdered/icing sugar (sifted)
2 tablespoons cream (any type)
1 teaspoon vanilla

EXTRAS

2-3 tablespoons sprinkles or 1000s

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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 together the flour, baking powder, zest and salt.
In a large bowl beat together the egg, the yolks and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light. Add the milk, vanilla and oil, beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, 1 minute.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with the glaze and sprinkle with the 1000s. Enjoy!

VANILLA GLAZE

In a medium bowl mix the ingredients together, add more powdered sugar or cream as necessary for a thickish glaze.

Notes

Cake flour: You can also use pastry flour for a tender, light texture. To make your own cake flour, for each cup, remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Store: While traditional Scarcella recipes vary across Puglia, this cake stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days similar to most simple glazed cakes. For best results and to prevent sticking, let glaze set before storing.

Freeze: I prefer to freeze Pugliese Easter cake without the glaze. Cool completely then wrap cake tightly in plastic then foil to prevent freezer burn and preserve moisture. Thaw then add glaze and enjoy!

Nutrition