Recipe: Perfect Italian tea cake

Italian tea cake. A ciambellone is a simple, sunny Italian tea cake with lemon zest and a rich crumb typically baked in a tube pan, which gives it a torus shape, i.e. the appearance of a doughnut, which is, in fact, what Google Translate tells me is the translation of ciambellone. As I can never resist the siren call of either an everyday cake or a doughnut, I am unequivocally here for this. Cream butter or margarine in a bowl, gradually add confectioners' sugar and salt.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The key to cooking with tea and getting a nice tea-infused flavor is to be sure you are using fresh loose-leaf tea. Quality loose leaf teas are highly aromatic and will work best. You can have Italian tea cake using 15 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Italian tea cake

1. Prepare 2 cups of granulated sugar.
2. Prepare 2 1/2 tsp of table salt.
3. It's 1 of Lemon zest, finely grated.
4. It's 1/2 of Orange zest, finely grated.
5. It's 1 1/4 cup of plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
6. You need 3/4 cup of plus 1 tbsp plain yogurt.
7. It's 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese.
8. You need 1 tbsp of plus 1 tsp vanilla extract.
9. Prepare 4 of large eggs.
10. Prepare 3 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted.
11. You need 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder.
12. It's of Glaze.
13. You need 1 cup of powdered sugar.
14. Prepare 2 tbsp of maple syrup.
15. Prepare 2 tbsp of lemon juice.

Infusing tea into a cake makes it moist and tender. Plus it's a fun way to play with the flavors a bit. You could try a Chai or an Earl Grey tea-infused cake. Whip up a batch of the world famous original tea cakes from Martino's Bakery in Burbank, California in your own kitchen with this copycat recipe.

Italian tea cake instructions

1. I used golden granulated sugar, but you can also use white granulated sugar. Add salt to it..
2. Put finely grated lemon and orange zest and rub them with fingertips in the sugar..
3. Whisk vegetable oil, yogurt, mascarpone cheese, then eggs and vanilla extract. Sprinkle baking powder over the batter and mix properly. Sift flour on top and stir it with rubber spatula..
4. Spray the pan with cooking oil and sprinkle it with granulated sugar. Remove the excess sugar. Then, pour the batter in..
5. Preheat the oven at 375°F and leave it the oven for 40 minutes approx. Check with the toothpick, if it comes out clean yo see if the cake is done..
6. Let it cool for 5 minutes and pour the glaze evenly while it is piping hot..
7. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!!.

Over the holiday season, I had the pleasure of tasting tea cakes from Martino's Bakery in Burbank, California. Their original tea cakes are world famous and it is not uncommon for people from near and far to come grab them by the dozen before. My mother brought this special family recipe from Europe a century ago. Cenci can be "dressed up" for any holiday—at Easter, I sprinkle yellow, pink and lavender jelly beans over them, and for Christmas, red and green candy sprinkles give the cenci a festive look. Find the best Italian Bakeries near you on Yelp - see all Italian Bakeries open now.