Two-Tone Yogurt Ciambella (Italian Ring Cake)

A big, delicious two-tone ring cake - in Italy it's called a ciambella. It's the perfect treat for family tea time or a festive table: a bright contrast of vanilla and chocolate batter and a tender crumb that everyone at home will love!

Why you'll love it

• Greek yogurt keeps the crumb soft and moist.
• One batter, two colors: just stir cocoa and a little milk into half of it.
• Simple ingredients you almost always have at home.

Two-Tone Yogurt Ciambella (Italian Ring Cake)

A big two-tone ring cake made with Greek yogurt: vanilla and chocolate batter with a soft, moist crumb.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 10 slices

Course: Muffins and loaf cakes

Cuisine: Home cooking

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Batter

• 100 g butter softened
• 200 g sugar
• 10 g vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs
• 250 g Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 320 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the dark batter

• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 50 ml milk

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Prepare a ring cake pan: grease it with butter and dust it with flour.
2. Beat the soft butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Then add the yogurt (you can use sour cream instead).
4. Mix the flour with the baking powder, add it to the batter and stir to combine.
5. Divide the batter into two equal parts. Stir the cocoa and milk into one part until evenly dark.
6. Pour the light batter into the pan first, then gently spoon the dark batter on top for the two-tone effect.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

You can replace the Greek yogurt with sour cream.

Tips and variations

• For a richer flavor, add orange or lemon zest to the light batter.
• Top it with a glaze: melted chocolate with a splash of milk and a pinch of salt.
• For an even moister cake, add 2-3 more tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream to the batter.
• For a deeper color, add more cocoa to the dark batter - but don't overdo it, or the cake will turn dry.

A ciambella is the perfect balance of looks and flavor: this big two-tone ring cake brightens any table and delights the whole family. Bake it and see for yourself!

Love two-tone bakes? Try the two-tone marble cake and the two-tone yogurt cake with tangerine curd too.