Italian crumble cake (sbriciolata)

This Italian crumble cake with a raspberry jam filling is deliciously crunchy and fruity! There’s something really comforting about the aroma of a freshly baked cake wafting through the house, promising sweet indulgence. The moment I set my eyes on this cake, I thought to myself, OMG – I’ve got to make that! So, I did my research, made it vegan, and put it at the top of my list of posts to publish. I must say, it tastes every bit as good as it looks, and the crunchiness is out of this world. The bright, fruity tartness of the raspberry jam creates a perfect balance with the crumble’s buttery sweetness.

What is crumble cake?

Crumble cake is an Italian regional speciality called sbriciolata or sbrisolona, originating from the city of Mantova (Mantua in English). This one is made with raspberry jam, although you can use apricot or any other flavour of your choice. It’s 100% vegan and equally as delicious as the non-vegan version. Why harm animals when you can choose not to?

Sbriciolata comes from the word “sbriciolare,” meaning to crumble, and describes the method used to make it. In Mantova, it is also known as sbrisolona, where “brisa” means crumb and the suffix “ona” means large. These terms aptly define its characteristic texture of crunchy, buttery crumbs.

The original sbrisolona was a poor man’s dessert made of maize flour, lard, and almonds or hazelnuts. Over the years, it has become more refined. Sbriciolata is a variation that has some kind of filling, usually fruit or jam. This is a classic crumble cake (sbriciolata) recipe with two simple adaptations to make it vegan. There are no almonds or maize flour, and I substituted the lard (or butter) with vegan butter. I replaced the egg with aquafaba because it has similar binding properties, which serve to hold the crumbs together.

It takes just 10 minutes to prepare the crumble mixture and half an hour to bake it in the oven. Simply crumble the mixture with your fingertips, press half of it down to make the base, cover it with jam, sprinkle the other half over the top, and bake. I used my own homemade raspberry jam from the raspberries that grow in my garden. This Italian crumble cake is perfect for entertaining or simply as a healthier alternative to shop-bought cakes for those with a sweet tooth. Even kids love it!

How to make Italian crumble cake (sbriciolata)

Important tips

• I used a 22 cm diameter dish for this recipe. If your dish is a different size, you can use this conversion calculator.
• The vegan butter should be the hard block variety and be straight from the fridge.
• Don’t use a food processor for this recipe. It’s faster and easier to use your hands, and you won’t risk activating the gluten in the flour and messing up the texture of the crumble.
• Chill the crumble in the fridge for half an hour before baking it. This helps the butter to solidify and the crumble to firm up.
• Use baking paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the dish.
• Use a jam that is medium to thick in viscosity. If it’s too watery, it will ooze out between the crumbs.

Ingredients

You’ll find the exact quantities of each ingredient in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Flour

Use plain, all-purpose white flour for this recipe.

Sugar

When choosing sugar, remember that not all kinds of sugar are vegan. Look for the vegan label on white sugar. Some brands of white sugar use bone char in the refining process. You can rest assured that most cane sugar is vegan. Either fine granulated or castor sugar is the best for making crumble. The granules should be neither really coarse nor extra fine.

Salt

A pinch of salt may seem like a minor addition, but it plays a significant role in enhancing the flavour, texture, and appearance of crumble desserts. I use unrefined sea salt.

Vegan butter

I use Vegan Block by Naturlì or Flora. Use your own favourite brand. The kind that’s firm when refrigerated is best. You will be able to taste the flavour of the butter you use, so make sure it’s one you like. It’s important to use cold butter straight from the fridge.

Vanilla extract

You only need a small amount of vanilla flavouring for this recipe. I prefer to use vanilla extract because it has the most natural taste. You could substitute it with vanilla essence or vanilla sugar if you prefer. Calculate about 10 g of vanilla sugar for every 5 drops of extract.

Aquafaba

There’s an egg in the original Italian sbriciolata recipe. I’m not sure what function the egg has. Although I’m not a wizard a making cakes, I’d hazard a guess and say it’s primarily for binding. I chose aquafaba as a substitute for the egg because it’s what I usually use in biscuit dough to hold everything together successfully. I’ve never eaten an Italian crumble cake containing egg, so I can’t personally say what it tastes like or how it compares to this vegan sbriciolata recipe. I can confirm, though, that aquafaba holds the crumbs together as it should and ensures that you can cut the crumble cake into slices without it breaking up the way it does in a fruit crumble for example. If you’re new to aquafaba, you’ll find this complete guide really useful.

Raspberry jam

I love raspberry jam in this Italian crumble cake recipe. It provides just the right amount of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the crumble. Apricot or mixed berry jam is also great. Feel free to use your own favourite flavour jam.

How to make Italian crumble cake (sbriciolata)

Method

You’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

• Put the flour, sugar, and salt into a bowl.
• Cut the butter into chunks and add them to the other ingredients, along with the vanilla extract.
• Rub the mixture with your fingertips to make large coarse crumbs. Work quickly so that the vegan vegan butter doesn’t become too soft.
• Add the aquafaba and amalgamate with a metal knife or spoon.
• Split the mixture in half. Put one half in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Put some greaseproof paper on the bottom of the cake dish and tip the other half of the mixture into the dish. Press it down evenly with your fingertips to form the base and sides of the cake. The paper ensures you’ll be able to lift the cake out of the dish without breaking it.
• Spread the raspberry jam out evenly on the base.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Remove the other half of the mixture from the fridge and spread it evenly over the jam without flattening it.
• Bake the crumble cake in the oven at 180°C for 30 – 40 minutes until lightly browned on top.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down completely before cutting it.

How to serve sbrisolona / sbriciolata (Italian crumble cake)

Traditional sbrisolona mantovana or sbriciolata is usually placed whole on the table, and everyone breaks off pieces with their hands. This was the customary way of doing it before fillings became so abundant (and sticky). You might find that breaking pieces off squeezes the jam out and that maybe it’s better to cut it. A serrated-edged knife does the job very well. Crumble cake is best served at room temperature.

how to store vegan Italian crumble cake

You can keep this vegan raspberry crumble cake in or out of the fridge for 3 to 4 days. In the height of summer, I’d put it in the fridge. Otherwise, I usually leave it out on the counter, covered with a clean kitchen cloth.

Can you freeze Italian crumble cake?

Yes, you can. However, it’s essential to freeze it properly so that it maintains its texture and flavour. Firstly, allow it to cool down completely. Then, put it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn and moisture loss. Lay the container flat in the freezer. It will keep well for about a month. Theoretically, you can freeze crumble cake for longer, but it may alter the texture. It might be a good idea to cut the cake into slices before freezing. That way, you won’t have to defrost it all at once.

To defrost, take it out of the freezer container and put it on a plate. Allow it to defrost uncovered at room temperature, then use as fresh.

That’s it! I hope you like this Italian crumble cake with raspberry jam as much as we do! If you try making it and like it, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below, or take a quick pic and share it on social media.

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @vegan_hot_stuff – I love seeing your re-creations!

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