Description
A soft, sweet Italian Easter cake infused with citrus and perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1/2 cup warm milk (warm, not hot)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or 1/3 cup chopped candied citrus
- For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar plus 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
- For topping: shredded coconut, pastel sprinkles, or chopped pistachios
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the yeast into the warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let it sit for about 5 to 8 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest, orange zest, and the foamy yeast mixture. Stir until it forms a shaggy dough, adding flour or milk as necessary.
- Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes by hand on a floured counter, or 5 to 6 minutes in a mixer.
- Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled (60 to 90 minutes).
- Punch it down gently, shape, and place into a greased loaf pan or tall round pan. If using, fold in chocolate chips or candied citrus now.
- Cover and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Mix powdered sugar with milk or lemon juice to create a glaze. Once the cake is cool, drizzle the glaze and add toppings while it’s still wet.
Notes
You can make this cake ahead of time and glaze it the morning of serving. It can be frozen unglazed for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 80mg