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Italian Easter cake—also known as Pigna di Pasqua—is like a warm, spiced hug from Nonna, baked into a soft, tender cake. Bursting with citrus zest, anise, and just a kiss of rum, it’s a fragrant, festive treat that fills the kitchen with sweet holiday magic. The best part? No kneading required! This batter-based beauty is easy to whip up and bakes into a light, airy texture that melts in your mouth. Finished with a bright lemon glaze and colorful sprinkles, it’s a joyful centerpiece that’s just as lovely with your morning coffee as it is after Easter dinner.
Light and aromatic, this Italian Easter cake is infused with citrus, anise, and rum, then topped with lemon glaze and sprinkles for a festive touch.
You might also like this colorfully topped Italian Easter bread, crispy Easter haystacks, or these super-cute Easter Peep cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love It
Such delicious flavors: This sweet cake really delivers on flavor, with citrusy flair, warm earthy spices, soft vanilla, and a delicate hint of rum too.
No kneading needed: Unlike denser breads and cakes, Italian Easter cake doesn’t require any kneading.
Perfect for Easter: If you’ve been looking for tasty treats to bake for your Easter table, this definitely fits the bill, and is pretty enough to be a centerpiece. The Bundt cake shape and simple glaze topped with pretty sprinkles gives it an eye-catching look.
Authentically Italian: Bring a traditional taste of Italy to your table this Easter. If you’re new to pigna di Pasqua, get ready to fall in love with the Italian flavors.
Pigna di Pasqua Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: The main component in the cake batter.
Instant yeast: To achieve a light and airy texture.
Milk: Warm it up to about 85°F before adding it.
Lemon zest: For a citrusy flair.
Rum: Adds a delicate but delicious flavor to the Easter cake.
Vanilla extract: Adds a soft, sweet vanilla flavor.
Spices: I used ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and anise seeds for a warm, earthy flavor.
Powdered sugar: To make the lemon glaze.
Lemon juice: To thin the lemon glaze and add a citrusy flavor.
Pastel sprinkles: For a fun presentation and to add crunch.
How to Make Easter Italian Bundt Cake
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the batter: Whisk together flour, yeast and sugar. Stir in the warm milk and let it sit until frothy. Whisk flour, sugar, salt and spices in one bowl and beat eggs with butter, lemon zest, rum, and vanilla in another bowl. Combine both mixtures and beat well.
Let the batter rise: Spread the batter into a greased Bundt pan, then cover and leave to rise somewhere warm until it’s doubled in size.
Bake your cake: Preheat the oven and bake the cake until it’s golden brown and cooked in the center. Let it cool on a wire rack.
Glaze the cake: Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze, adding more sugar or lemon to get the consistency just right. Pour the glaze over the cake and sprinkle over some Easter sprinkles.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and check the ingredients in your Easter sprinkles.
Lemon zest: You can use orange zest instead of lemon zest for a citrusy twist.
Vanilla extract: Almond extract can be used instead of vanilla for a nutty aroma.
Extra crunch: A sprinkle of slivered almonds on top adds extra crunch, or you can add pearl sugar to the sprinkles.
Rum: Use light or dark rum, as you prefer, or omit this ingredient if you prefer not to use alcohol.
Optional add-ins: You might like to add chopped dried fruit or raisins for another texture.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your Easter meal with these cute deviled egg chicks.
Main dishes: Enjoy honey glazed ham with garlic mashed potatoes and some roasted acorn squash or an iceberg wedge salad. Another idea is Italian Easter pie with roasted Brussels sprouts.
Desserts: Finish off with a slice of Italian Easter cake and perhaps a cottontail margarita (or two!)
How to Store Easter Bundt Cake
Store: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week (this makes the texture denser as it dries out slightly, but still tastes good).
Freeze: Wrap the slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Defrost at room temperature before serving.
Top Tips
Use fresh yeast: Make sure your instant yeast is fresh and not expired. If the yeast mixture doesn’t foam after 10 to 15 minutes, it might be inactive, and you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.
Grease the Bundt pan well: Use butter or nonstick baking spray to thoroughly grease your Bundt pan. This ensures the cake releases smoothly without sticking.
Don’t overbake it: Bake the pigna di Pasqua just until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Overbaking can make the cake dry. If the top seems to be browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
Let it cool completely before glazing: If it’s still warm, the glaze can melt and run off instead of setting properly.
Pigna di Pasqua FAQs
Unlike traditional bread dough, this bread/cake recipe doesn’t require kneading because of the ingredients used. You will need to beat the batter for 2 or 3 minutes instead, as this is what makes the flour and yeast start working to rise. The presence of yeast means the cake doesn’t require baking powder either.
Put the Bundt pan in a warm, draft-free area to allow the batter to double in size. If your kitchen is cold, you can preheat your oven to 200°F, turn it off and let the batter rise inside with the door slightly open. Alternatively, put the Bundt pan near a warm stove or cover it with a towel and set it on top of the refrigerator.
Best Italian Easter Cake Recipe
Italian Easter Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ¼ Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/3 Cup granulated sugar
- ½ Cup milk, warmed to about 85°F
- 10 Tablespoons butter, melted, 1 Stick + 2 Tablespoons
- 4 eggs, large
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons rum
- 1 Tablespoon anise seeds
- 2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
- butter, or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
For the Glaze:
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Easter sprinkles
Instructions
Prepare the Batter:
- In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the flour, the instant yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
- Pour in the warm milk and stir until combined.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, the remaining granulated sugar, the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and anise seeds.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, and then stir in the melted butter, lemon zest, rum, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the yeast mixture.
- Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until a smooth batter forms.
Let the Batter Rise:
- Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan, spreading it evenly.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Bake the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove it from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Add the Glaze:
- In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more sugar for thickness or more juice for a thinner glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
Grease the Bundt pan well: Use butter or nonstick baking spray to thoroughly grease your Bundt pan. This ensures the cake releases smoothly without sticking.
Don’t overbake it: Bake the pigna di Pasqua just until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Overbaking can make the cake dry. If the top seems to be browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
Let it cool completely before glazing: If it’s still warm, the glaze can melt and run off instead of setting properly.
Nutrition
This pigna di Pasqua, or Italian Easter cake, is a light, moist cake that’s perfect for Easter Sunday. Hints of warm, earthy spices, vanilla, lemon, and rum make it an extra-special option for your Easter table. Topped with a simple glaze and colorful pastel sprinkles, this Bundt cake looks, smells and tastes amazing and everyone is going to want a slice (or two!)
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
