Ciaramicola Umbra al Limone con Glassa di Zucchero

Umbria

The Easter ring cake of Perugia — a soft, ring-shaped cake flavoured with lemon and Alchermes liqueur (a bright red Italian liqueur made from cochineal and spices), covered in a thick white royal icing and decorated with coloured sugar. The bright red interior from the Alchermes contrasts dramatically with the white icing. Eaten at Easter breakfast alongside dyed eggs and local salumi.

• Ring cake with white sugar icing — the Roman version without Alchermes, same shape and icing application technique → Ciambella con glassa di zucchero Roman
• Italian festive cake with royal icing — different form but same festive use of white icing as celebration decoration → Cassata con glassa reale Sicilian
• Ring-shaped cake with a hole in the centre — same ring mould structure, usually made with yeast and without icing → Gugelhupf Austrian

Sweet, lemon-fragrant and warmly spiced from the Alchermes; the icing is crisp and sugar-sweet; the crumb is dense and moist — Easter morning flavours of Perugia