Orange-Anise Bundt Cake (Ciambella)
This floral-fragrant, doughnut-like cake—ciambella all’arancia—is Italy’s antidote to greasy, butter-rich bundts.
- Makes12 servings
- Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
- Active time plus cooling30 minutes active, plus cooling
- 1
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.
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.
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