If you don’t have time to prepare a nice rustic Babà, here’s a quick but still very tasty alternative, made with instant yeast. The rustic ring cake without leavening is simple and soft, enriched with deli meats and cubed scamorza cheese. It is mixed in a few minutes and then goes straight into the oven… it’s great as an appetizer, perfect for an Easter buffet or an Easter Monday outing. If you don’t have the classic daisy mold for Babà, you can use a regular ring mold or a round cake pan. Try this recipe, it’s very simple and very appetizing!
Here are other ideas for you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Easter
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs (medium)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 7/8 cup milk
- 1/4 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 packet instant yeast for savory preparations
- 5 oz scamorza cheese
- 7 oz mixed deli meats (salami, mortadella, speck, ham or others)
Tools
- Mold for Babà or ring mold 10-11 inches
- Stand Mixer
- Bowl
- Cutting Board
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix in a bowl with a spoon or a whisk.
Preparation
Break the eggs into the bowl of the stand mixer, add the salt, milk, and vegetable oil. Mix with the paddle attachment for a few seconds.
Gradually add the sifted flour, yeast, and grated Grana. Blend until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Cut the deli meats and scamorza into small cubes, add them to the mixture, and distribute them evenly (1).
Grease the mold with a release spray, or butter and flour it.
Pour the mixture into the mold and spread it with a spatula (2).
Place the cake in a static oven at 356°F and bake for approximately 35 minutes (3). Adjust the time according to your oven, and always check the doneness with a skewer.
After removing the cake from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before inverting it onto a plate.
The rustic ring cake without leavening is ready, soft and tasty, perfect as an appetizer or to serve in a buffet.
Tips and Variations
If there’s any left, you can slice the cake and freeze it. When needed, just reheat it in the oven for a few minutes.
You can fill it with the deli meats you prefer, either of one type or mixed: mortadella, cooked ham, speck, salami, pancetta, etc.
You can replace the scamorza (all or part of it) with another mild cheese like provola, Asiago, Emmental, etc.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I prepare the cake in advance?
Sure, you can bake it the day before and reheat it when needed, either whole or already sliced.
