Italian breakfast cakes, known as "colazione dolce," have a rich tradition deeply intertwined with the country's culinary heritage. These delectable cakes come in various forms, from the humble morning cornetto to the more elaborate Torta della Nonna.

A typical Italian breakfast cake is light, not overly sweet, and often paired with a cup of aromatic espresso or cappuccino. Many of these cakes are region-specific, with each area offering its own delightful twist on this morning indulgence.

Among my cherished variations is the classic Traditional Lemon Olive Oil cake from the book Mangia Mangia. This recipe is delightfully fuss-free and consistently rewarding. While it initially calls for 180g of sugar, I'd recommend around 100g of caster sugar for a subtly less sweet flavour. I also add a finishing touch of lemon drizzle adds that extra citrusy zest. Enjoy! 🍋💫

Ingredients:

2 x 70g eggs

180 g caster sugar

250 g plain yoghurt

½ cup light olive oil

Finely grated zet and juice of 2 lemons

2 cups self raising flour

For the Lemon Drizzle: 

150g icing sugar 

50-60ml lemon juice 

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 20 or 22cm cake tin ring.

Whisk eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until thick and pale. Add yoghurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice and continue to mix until combined.  

Sift in flour and gently fold into the batter with a wooden spoon.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, for the Lemon Drizzle mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Add more lemon juice as required and drizzle over the cake just before serving.