This is my go-to cake recipe whenever I need a homemade dessert without spending much time in the kitchen. There’s no complicated technique, no endless mixing, and no need to stress over perfect measurements. Just a few simple ingredients and you’ll have a soft, fluffy cake that’s perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or dessert.
This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Teresa. Every weekend my husband would ask me:
“Mi fai la torta semplice, come la faceva mia mamma?”
Which means, “Will you make the simple cake my mom used to bake?”
I’m sure many women know exactly what comes after the words “…like my mom…” 😊
Well, the fact that I’m sharing this recipe today means I finally learned how to make the same cake as his mom!
One of the best things about this recipe is how forgiving it is.
- You don’t even need an electric mixer—a whisk works perfectly.
- If you only have 100 g of butter instead of 150 g, don’t worry. The cake will still turn out beautifully.
- You can easily adjust the ingredients depending on what you have at home. If you only have three eggs, simply add a little more milk. If your eggs are particularly large or watery, use slightly less milk. Think of this recipe as a flexible everyday cake rather than one that requires absolute precision.
Sometimes I fold diced apples into the batter for a quick apple version. If you’re a fan of apple cakes, be sure to check out my favorite Italian Apple Cake recipe as well.
You can also replace white sugar with light brown sugar. The cake will have a slightly darker color and a richer flavor. If you do, cover it loosely with aluminum foil after about 20 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too much.
For an even lighter and taller cake, replace 50 g of the flour with potato starch. The cake rises noticeably higher, so simply reduce the amount of flour by the same weight.
If you have any questions about the recipe, leave them in the comments below—I always do my best to reply quickly.
Italian Breakfast Cake
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Cake pan
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour4 eggs150 ml melted butter120 g sugar50 ml milk2 teaspoons baking powderzest of 1 lemonvanilla extract or vanilla powder (optional)
- 4 eggs
- 150 ml melted butter
- 120 gr sugar
- 50 ml milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 lemon zest
- vanilla
Instructions
- Beat the eggs with the sugar until well combined. While continuing to whisk, gradually pour in the melted butter.
- Add the warm milk. Next, stir in 200 g of the flour mixed with the baking powder (not all 250 g listed in the ingredients). If the batter is still too runny—it should be just slightly thinner than thick sour cream—add the remaining flour one tablespoon at a time. As soon as the batter reaches the right consistency, stop adding flour. Finally, stir in the finely grated zest of one lemon and, if desired, a little vanilla.
- Generously butter the cake pan, dust it with flour, and shake out any excess. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (photo 1). Bake in a preheated 180°C (355°F) conventional oven for 35–45 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready (photo 2). Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then easily remove it from the pan (photo 3).
