Schiacciata fiorentina

02/14/2025

Schiacciata Fiorentina (florentine sweet cake) is a traditional dessert deeply rooted in Tuscan culinary culture. But what exactly is Schiacciata Fiorentina? Those unfamiliar with it might confuse this sweet treat, typical of Shrove Tuesday, with the savory leavened bread of the same name, but it’s very different: in this case, it’s a cake about 3 centimeters high, soft and flavored with orange zest.

Schiacciata fiorentina (florentine sweet cake)

Sweet, white and golden, soft and fragrant: these are the typical flavors and colors of Schiacciata Fiorentina, perfect to accompany your morning tea or afternoon coffee.

Our Cesarina Barbara from Florence has shared with us her recipe for this Tuscan delight.

Schiacciata fiorentina (florentine sweet cake) by Cesarina Barbara

The icon of the florentine carnival

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time1h 30m

Cooking time30m

Servings4

€

CostLow

Ingredients

250 g of all-purpose flour
80 g of sugar
80 g of butter
15 g of brewer's yeast
1 egg
1 orange
1 packet of vanilla sugar
A pinch of salt and powdered sugar to taste

Method

Place the flour in a mixing bowl, add the yeast dissolved in a little warm water, and stir with a spoon to form a consistent dough.
Cover with a cloth and let it rest for 1 hour.
Add the egg, butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, grated orange zest, and a pinch of salt.
Work the dough by stirring with a spoon in a rotating motion, from top to bottom. Pour the dough into a rectangular baking pan greased with butter.
Bake in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for about 30-40 minutes.
Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

Barbara

The Origins of Schiacciata Fiorentina

Schiacciata Fiorentina is a typical dessert of Florence, deeply tied to Carnival and Tuscan culinary traditions. Its first documented traces date back to the 19th century, when Pellegrino Artusi mentioned it in his famous cookbook, calling it "schiacciata unta" (greased flatbread). However, its roots seem to stretch even further back in history: in the 18th century, it was known as "stiacciata delle Murate," as it was prepared by the cloistered nuns of the convent on Via Ghibellina. It is said to have been baked in rectangular pans and even served to prisoners as part of their last meal before executions.

The original recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients: flour, sugar, lard, eggs, and orange zest, which gave the cake its distinctive fragrance. Over time, however, the recipe has evolved, adapting to modern tastes. Today, butter has often replaced lard, and it is not uncommon to find versions filled with whipped cream or custard.

A symbol of the town's culinary traditions, Schiacciata Fiorentina is much more than a dessert: it is a link to the history and identity of a place, still celebrated and loved by anyone fortunate enough to taste it.