The Most Loved Cake in Italy
Italian Lemon Butter Crumb Cake (Sbriciolata)
Buttery • Crumbly • Bright with Lemon • Incredibly Delicious
This cake uses a classic Italian pasta frolla dough, pressed and crumbled rather than rolled. It’s easy, forgiving, and always perfect.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1 large egg (room temperature)
Zest of 1 lemon
125 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
310 g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour
5 g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
140 g (5 oz / 10 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
Pinch of salt
OPTIONAL but VERY traditional filling (choose one):
Option 1 – Jam Filling (Classic & Easy)
¾ cup apricot, strawberry, or raspberry jam
Option 2 – Creamy Ricotta Filling (Most Loved in Italy )
250 g (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta
60 g (¼ cup) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of ½ lemon
(You can also mix ricotta + jam for an extra-special cake.)
Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Dough
In a large bowl, add:
Sugar
Lemon zest
Softened butter
Rub together with your fingertips or mix with a fork until light and crumbly.
Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt.
Mix gently just until a soft, crumbly dough forms.
Do NOT knead — the crumb texture is what makes this cake magical.
2️⃣ Prepare the Filling (if using)
Jam: stir to loosen slightly.
Ricotta: mix ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
3️⃣ Assemble the Cake
Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Grease and line a 22–24 cm (9-inch) round pan.
Take ½ of the dough and press it gently into the bottom of the pan.
Spread filling evenly over the base.
Crumble the remaining dough over the top — do not press.
4️⃣ Bake
Bake for 35–40 minutes
Top should be light golden and crumbly
Kitchen will smell AMAZING
5️⃣ Cool & Serve
Let cool completely (very important!)
Dust with powdered sugar
Slice and enjoy with coffee or tea
Tips from Italian Nonna Kitchens
Butter must be soft, not melted
This cake tastes even BETTER the next day
Store at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days
You can freeze it beautifully
Why Everyone Loves This Cake
✔ No mixer needed
✔ Simple pantry ingredients
✔ Works with any filling
✔ Perfect every single time
