The Torta degli Addobbi is a traditional dessert from the city of Bologna, prepared for the feast of Corpus Domini. During the religious procession, homes along the route were adorned with colorful drapes (hence the name ‘Addobbi’) and this cake, cut into diamonds, was offered. It is a very simple yet rich dessert with many variations, including a traditional registered recipe. The Bolognese rice cake contains no flour or yeast. This is my version, and I assure you it’s just as delicious!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Emilia-Romagna
- Seasonality: All seasons, Easter
- Energy 177.17 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.93 (g) of which sugars 17.20 (g)
- Proteins 4.24 (g)
- Fat 5.03 (g) of which saturated 1.09 (g)of which unsaturated 3.78 (g)
- Fibers 1.04 (g)
- Sodium 31.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 7 oz Vialone Nano rice
- 4 1/4 cups milk
- 4 eggs (large)
- 7 oz sugar
- 3 1/2 oz almonds (ground to powder)
- 1 1/2 oz amaretti cookies (ground to powder)
- lemon zest
- 1 vanilla bean (or one teaspoon of vanilla extract)
- 1 3/4 oz candied citron (or raisins, to taste)
- liqueur (amaretto, or any other to taste)
Tools
- Cake pan 25×30
- Saucepan
- Bowl
- Mixer
- Whisk
You can also make the cake in a round cake pan of 11 inches in diameter (or 10 inches if you prefer a taller cake).
Preparation
Pour the milk into a saucepan, add 3 1/2 oz of sugar, the seeds extracted from the vanilla bean, and bring to a boil.
Add the rice and cook over low heat for about 45-50 minutes, or until it has absorbed almost all the milk and has a creamy consistency, similar to a pudding (cooking time depends on the type of rice used).
At the end, transfer the rice to a glass bowl and let it cool completely (1).
Beat the eggs with the remaining 3 1/2 oz of sugar and the grated lemon zest.
Add the rice and mix with a spatula.
Then add the almonds and amaretti, previously ground in the mixer.
Finally, add the candied citron cut into small cubes. This ingredient is optional; if you don’t have it or don’t like it, you can omit it.
Mix well with a spatula to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Line the baking pan with parchment paper, or butter it and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Pour in the mixture and level it (2).
Place the cake in a static oven at 356°F and bake for about 50 minutes. Check the baking with a toothpick; cooking time depends on the oven and the mold used.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, pierce the cake with a toothpick and brush it with liqueur (3), this way it will stay moist and fragrant.
The Bolognese rice cake is ready, serve it cut into squares or diamonds and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Tips and Notes
The cake keeps for 2-3 days in a cool place. It tastes even better the next day.
You can skip brushing with liqueur and add half a shot glass to the mixture. This way, the alcohol will evaporate during baking, and the cake can be enjoyed by everyone.
You can use other types of rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli. Cooking times vary depending on the quality, the rice is ready when it has absorbed almost all the milk and has a creamy consistency.
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