Ciaramicola: the original recipe for the typical Easter cake of Perugia

Ingredients

For a 22-24 cm mold

00 flour

350 gr

powdered sugar

200 gr

No

3

Lard or butter

125 gr

Alchermes

130 ml

Lemon peel)

1

Backpulver

16 gr

For the meringue

Egg white at room temperature

2

Fine crystal sugar

200 gr

Lemon juice

2-3 drops

Colorful sweets

qb

For decoration

Colorful sweets

qb

Tools you need

Large bowl

2

Electric whisks

1

Spatula

1

22-24 cm Donut form

1

The ciaramicola is a typical dessert of the Umbrian tradition , especially from Perugia, prepared at Easter together with the other desserts of that period. It is a soft red doughnut obtained by adding alchermes, a liqueur with a low alcohol content but very aromatic: it is covered with a white meringue and decorated with colored sprinkles.

This preparation was created in the 15th century as a hymn to the city of Perugia: its colors – red and white – recall the city’s coat of arms , while the original shape with 5 humps symbolized the 5 districts of the city. Although the dessert is prepared in a regular doughnut shape, it still retains its value for the people of Perugia today.

The name ciaramicola derives, according to some, from ciara , which means “clear”, like the color of the white meringue that covers it. According to others, it derives instead from ciarapica , an Umbrian dialect term for the titmouse, a colorful bird that announces the arrival of spring.

Others claim that it comes from Ciaramella , referring to the round shape of the dessert. It is also said that it used to be the dessert that future brides gave to their future husbands at Easter.

Its preparation requires simple and easily available ingredients : just make the Alchermes flavored donut and then move on to the meringue which, once shiny and compact, will cover the cake and must be left to dry in the oven at a low temperature. According to the original recipe, we use lard to make the cake dough even softer, but you can replace it with butter to obtain a result with a more delicate flavor.

Learn how to prepare the ciaramicola with the step-by-step instructions and advice. If you liked this recipe, try other delicacies from this period, such as the sweet Easter pizza and the sweet casatiello .

How to prepare Ciaramicola

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