Italian Breakfast Cake
Breakfast in Italy is usually a cup of perfectly prepared cappuccino and pastry. This little gem is called a breakfast cake…it really isn’t like any other cake I’ve made.
This is a cake made with a dough instead of a batter. There’s no leavening in it, so it doesn’t rise. The dough is pressed into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan, brushed with an egg wash and baked.
It’s a very simple little cake…no bells and whistles…none are needed. It holds it’s ground as is, that was very evident with my first bite.
I cut this into wedges, picked it up with my hand and bit into a little cake that had a big shortbread cookie taste that was wonderful. A little crisp on the outside with a buttery shortbread consistency and taste that is addicting.
Perfect for a light breakfast, fabulous with a cup of coffee or at tea time with just the right amount of “sweet”. It would be the perfect ending to any meal.
You could definitely switch out the vanilla for almond extract or add lemon zest to make it your own. Maybe add mini chocolate chips if that’s your fancy….but make it ” as is” the first time and taste the bliss of simplicity.
Italian Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter 2 sticks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg for glaze, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. (Don't butter the sides of the pan)
- Blend flour, sugar and salt in a food processor for 5 seconds. Add butter pieces and process, using the pulse button until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and blend until dough holds together. Press dough onto the bottom of the buttered (bottom only) springform pan. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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If you enjoyed this recipe, you may like these as well.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
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Bunny your cake sounds absolutely wonderful. Hope you had a great Valentine’s Day.
There is nothing better than cake for breakfast!
What a day to enjoy with all this delicious food!
Ladies, I’d have to have a taste of each to be sure!!! Yum!
What pretty and scrumptious looking cupcakes! Love the breakfast cake – that would be a winner in my house.
The cupcakes are soooo pretty!
Anchovies sound awful, I hate them! But Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it, and I like that. I often put it in stew. I’ll have to try anchovies in stew.
You had me at Margarita! Wow, these all look amazing. Just stumbled across your blog and I love it!
How much almond extract could be used in place of the vanilla?
Mary you could do 1 teaspoon of each or 1 1/2 Teaspoons almond extract. I don’t think I’d go for 2 teaspoons until you taste it the first time. Almond extract, to me is much stronger than vanilla.
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