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Orange-Anise Bundt Cake (Ciambella)

Orange-Anise Bundt Cake (Ciambella)

This floral-fragrant, doughnut-like cake—ciambella all’arancia—is Italy’s antidote to greasy, butter-rich bundts.

  • Makes
    12 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour 15 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    30 minutes active, plus cooling
  • Rating

Italian ciambella is a ring-shaped cake, though the term is also used for certain types of donuts. There are countless variations on the sweet; our cake is based on ciambella all'arancia, made with olive oil and orange juice or zest (arancia means orange). We use a standard Bundt pan rather than the traditional ring mold, and we add anise seed for aromatic, licorice-like flavor; make sure to coarsely grind the aniseed so it retains some texture. Sambuca, an anise liqueur, gave us a second layer of flavor; ouzo or pastis is a fine substitute. To skip the alcohol, substitute ½ teaspoon anise extract plus 3 tablespoons orange juice. In an airtight container at room temperature, the cake will keep for up to three days.

Tip

Don’t use regular cooking spray to coat the Bundt pan. Baking spray, which contains flour, ensures the cake releases easily. Don't overmix the batter after adding the flour; this will cause the cake to bake up with a dense, tough crumb. It's fine if the batter shows a few small lumps.

Ingredients
  • 293

    grams (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour

  • 50

    grams (½ cup) almond flour

  • 2

    teaspoons baking powder

  • ½

    teaspoon table salt

  • 268

    grams (1¼ cups) white sugar

  • 1

    tablespoon grated orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon orange juice

  • 2

    teaspoons anise seed, coarsely ground

  • 3

    large eggs

  • ¾

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • ¾

    cup whole milk

  • 3

    tablespoons Sambuca liqueur

  • 1

    teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 124

    grams (1 cup) powdered sugar

  • 1

    teaspoon honey

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Generously coat a nonstick 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder and salt.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, orange zest and anise seed. Rub the mixture between your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and beginning to clump. Add the eggs and whisk until lightened in color and slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.

While whisking, gradually pour in the oil; whisk until completely incorporated. Whisk in the milk, Sambuca and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth with a few small lumps.

Step 3

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack. Let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice and honey until smooth. Brush evenly over the cake. Let the glaze dry until no longer sticky, about 1 hour.

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