20 Italian Cakes You Need To Try At Least Once

Italy might be best known for its sweeping history, superlative wine culture, and seductive pasta dishes, but the country-shaped-like-a-boot — which has long been a destination of choice for foodies — also has a fair reputation for stellar desserts. Of course we're all familiar with the classic crowd-favorites that are tiramisu, cannoli, and gelato. But if you're the type that only sticks to these tried-and-true favorites of Italian dessert, we're here to inform you that you're missing out on some truly scrumptious lesser-known Italian sweets. As it turns out, the land of wine and pasta is also home to some breathtakingly delicious traditional cakes.

Thanks in part to its centuries-long history, Italian cuisine in general is highly regionalized, meaning that over time each region has developed and perfected their own recipes and methods of production–some of which are now protected by the Italian government under the Protected Designation of Origin label. These differences in region and tradition are especially easy to see (and enjoy) in our list of 20 Italian cakes you need to try at least once in your life, from ultra-fudgy torta Barozzi to the semi-frozen delight that is zuccotto. The best part? You don't even have to jump on a plane to give them a try — many are easy enough to be made at home, and others can be found at any self-respecting Italian bakery, market, or restaurant.

If texture is your thing, you're going to want to pay attention to the next Italian cake we have to introduce to you. Meet the torta sbrisolona, a classic cake from Mantua in northern Italy that involves all the typical ingredients — flour, butter, eggs, and sugar — but seasoned with the subtle flavors of almond, vanilla, and lemon zest. Of course, the taste is amazing — this dessert wouldn't be on our list if it were otherwise. But what makes torta sbrisolona so special is the crumbly, crunchy, cookie-like texture that will undoubtedly drive fans of crunchy sweets mad with cravings for a second or third piece.

The dessert's name comes from the word "brisa," which in the local Mantuan dialect means "crumbs." It's a fitting name, as the crumbly cake is traditionally meant to be broken and eaten with the hands rather than sliced with a knife. Locals tend to pair this sweet with a strong digestivo such as grappa or a sweet dessert wine like vin santo, though we suspect it would be just as appetizing with a tall glass of milk.

When you hear the word "Caprese," chances are that it conjures up images of juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil (all of which come together perfectly in our chopped Caprese salad). But when it comes down to semantics, Caprese is simply a designation that, in Italian, means "of Capri." And while just as delicious as the refreshing insalata of a similar name, torta Caprese could not be any more different.

As you might have already guessed, torta Caprese originally hails from the island of Capri, where it allegedly originated (by accident, mind you) with an Italian chef called Carmine di Fiore. Supposedly, Chef Fiore forgot to add flour to his cake batter, which already contained plenty of bittersweet chocolate, butter, ground almonds, sugar, and eggs. The result was a flourless (and therefore gluten-free!) chocolate cake that chocoholics worldwide owe it to themselves to try.

When it comes to desserts, ice cream makes everything better, right? At least, that's the spirit of this sweet, semi-frozen, Florentine treat known as zuccotto. The dish takes its name from the pumpkin-shaped mold traditionally used in making the cake —the name zuccotto even means "little pumpkin" in Italian! 

The cake itself is usually flavored with a liqueur such as amaretto or alchermes, while the filling consists of sweetened ricotta and gelato, with optional additives like chocolate chunks, dried or candied fruit, or almonds. When finished baking, the zuccotto is usually stored in the freezer to preserve the gelato filling, and can be thawed just before serving. And thanks to the dessert's popularity, it likely won't require a long trip to Italy to sample its sweet, frozen goodness.

From classic pumpkin pie to fancy glazed cranberry bread, there really is no end to the number of scrumptious autumn desserts we've managed to dream up. Our next Italian cake to recommend falls into this category, though it doesn't exactly utilize all the stereotypical autumn ingredients. 

Castagnaccio is a plain or subtly sweet cake from the Apennine region that is typically made from chestnut flour. Though other Italian regions with an excess of autumn chestnuts have created their own variations, a traditional castagnaccio also involves olive oil (for moisture), pine nuts (which blend nicely with the rich chestnut flavor), and raisins or other dried fruits. It can be served on its own, or with accompaniments like ricotta, honey, or a dessert wine like vin santo.

We could easily make the argument that lemons are pretty much the perfect fruit — after all, their refreshingly tart taste is just as delectable in lemonade, a tangy pasta dish, or sweet torta al limone. Lemons are the front-and-center ingredient in this particular cake, which is popular all across Italy, especially in the summer when the fresh lemons are plentiful. 

The cake is pillowy soft with a subtle yet distinctive flavor that pairs best with lighter beverages — think tea instead of coffee. With a light dusting of powdered sugar on top, torta al limone makes for a great light dessert or midday snack. Due to its popularity, there are quite a few variations out there, including gluten-free and vegan versions that forgo the all-purpose flour and eggs in favor of simple olive oil.

The central Italian city of Florence has given us many things over the years — from the early work of Leonardo da Vinci to the meat masterpiece that is bistecca alla Fiorentina — but it's also given us more than a few delicious sweet treats. One that you'll be hard-pressed to miss around the Easter holiday is the famous schiacciata alla Fiorentina. This cake is large, flat, and almost always decorated with a dusting of powdered sugar and a giglio, otherwise known as a stylized fleur-de-lis, the symbol of Florence. 

The flavor is distinct, yet subtle, coming from traditional ingredients like vanilla and orange peel, and the texture is full and fluffy. It pairs perfectly with a cup of strong coffee, dessert wine, or just a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

You've likely already heard of the typical Italian Christmas bread known as panettone, but allow us to introduce you to its similarly popular holiday-time rival, pandoro. Its name, now slightly shortened, was originally "pan d'oro," which means "bread of gold" in Italian in reference to its beautiful golden color once out of the oven. 

The cake is fluffy and smooth with a subtle sweetness brought out by a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar on top that is meant to be reminiscent of the snow-capped Italian Alps around Christmastime. It also has a distinctive shape, as it is traditionally baked in a tall, star-shaped mold. Though its origins go back centuries, the city of Verona claims this one as its own, thanks in large part to the innovations of Veronese pastry chef Domenico Melegatti.

This one's for all the chocolate lovers out there. Torta Barozzi is the rich, fudgy, flourless chocolate cake that most chocoholics spend their nights dreaming about. It was originally conceived by Italian pastry chef Eugenio Gollini in 1897 in Vignola, and subsequently named after the famous Renaissance architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola. And while the most prominent flavor is obviously the dark chocolate involved, most versions also utilize rum, coffee, liqueurs, and/or crunchy almonds. 

It's about as close to the perfect chocolate dessert as you can possibly get, but you can still kick it up a notch with a dollop of whipped cream, meringue, or even a very light drizzle of sweet balsamic glaze. However you prefer it, torta Barozzi definitely belongs on your dessert bucket list.

The Amalfi Coast is famous for an endless number of reasons, starting with its breathtaking vistas and continuing with its delectable lemon-centric recipes. Seriously, this particular region of Italy takes its lemons seriously, from their acclaimed limoncello to the beloved dolce di Amalfi. It's a sweet lemon and almond cake that has become so inextricably linked with the Amalfi Coast that they even share a name. And the hype isn't just for nothing — these things are downright irresistible. 

The basic ingredients are pretty, well, basic: almond flour, whole lemons (juice, zest, and all), olive oil, and sugar. The result is a scrumptious dessert that could, arguably, qualify as healthy. (Olive oil is better than butter, right?) So feel free to treat yourself to a second slice when you have the chance.

Yet another Italian Easter-time favorite, don't let this cake's name fool you. Agnello pasquale literally translates to "Easter lamb," but we can confidently assure you that no lambs have been harmed in the making of this cake. The cake itself is made from a batter of mixed almond and pistachio meal, flavored with various additives like vanilla and lemon juice or zest. 

Some traditional recipes also call for things like dried or candied fruits and nuts to be added to the batter before it's poured into a special lamb-shaped mold for baking. While quite a few Italian cakes forgo a thick blanket of icing, agnello pasquale calls for a yummy butter frosting before it's ready to be served.