Schiacciata ubriaca is a unique specialty of the Island of Elba: a “drunken” cake, boozy with the island’s own red dessert wine, Aleatico.
By Emiko Davies
With origins in cucina povera, the cake was reportedly invented by a rather creative baker from Elba’s Rio Marina, whose recipe combined two unique alcoholic beverages. 
The first and defining ingredient is Aleatico, Elba’s very own sweet red wine, which lends the cake its rosy colour, boozy flavour and name, known in its local lilt as schiaccia briaca (schiacciata ubriaca, or ‘drunken schiacciata’).
Aleatico is made in Elba from a red muscat grape that is also found in Lazio and Puglia. With a long history of Aleatico production on the island that goes back centuries, the sweet, liquorous wine was apparently Napoleon’s only consolation during his 300-day exile on the island. But that’s not the only reason you should try it. The sweet berry and rose aromas and deliciously syrupy consistency will seduce you on its own.
The second liqueur that’s added to the mix is Alchermes, a Tuscan specialty that dates back to the Middle Ages when it was touted as an elixir for longevity. The name comes from the Arabic and Persian words that describe the origins of the striking scarlet-pink colour of the liqueur, originally made from cochineal insects.
The Medici dukes were fond of Alchermes and in the 16th century Catherine de’ Medici even brought it with her to France where it became known as the liqueur of the Medici. The monks of Santa Maria Novella church were known to make it in 1743 and the Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella still does – you can still find the most authentic version of Alchermes here today. The cinnamon and clove scented liqueur is still very much used in traditional Florentine desserts, including zuccotto and zuppa inglese (named for the English trifle that inspired this dessert), where it is used as much for its bright fuchsia colour as for its aroma and flavour.
If you cannot get Aleatico for this recipe, it won’t be a Schiacciata Ubriaca but you could substitute any sticky dessert wine.
Schiaccia Briaca: Drunken cake from a Tuscan Island
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
A fruitcake-like specialty, made boozy with Aleatico and the pink-hued liqueur Alchermes.
Ingredients
- 500 grams/18 oz of plain flour
- 200 grams/7 oz of currants, raisins or sultanas (or a mix)
- 200 grams/7 oz of sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 145 ml/5 oz (about a wine glass full) of Aleatico
- 50 ml/1.5 oz of Alchermes
- 100 ml/3.5 oz of olive oil
- 30 grams/1 oz of pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° C (350 ° F).
- Soak the raisins in a bowl of hot water until they become soft and plump.
- Combine the sifted flour, baking powder, salt, raisins and most of the sugar (set aside a few tablespoons) with the olive oil, Aleatico and half of the Alchermes until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the dough or it will become hard and chewy rather than crumbly. Some recipes advise on letting the mixture rest for up to an hour before baking.
- Press the dough into a greased and lined round baking tin and top with the pinenuts, a sprinkling of Alchermes, a drizzle of olive oil and a few tablespoons of sugar. This final touch gives the schiacciata its characteristic pink, crusty top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. This cake is perhaps even better a few days after it’s made, with a characteristically sweet, dense, crumbly consistency and a crispy top.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 mins
It sounds amazing Emiko – nice write-up too!
Good recipe to make on a short term.
Wonderful cake, a must try. My partner is from Elba and made this cake for me. The only difference to the recipe is that he also adds walnuts. Once you have made this cake, you can not get enough of it.
Ciao. I was born in the town of Capoliveri ..Isola D’ Elba… Arrived in Australia 1950…Now living in Adelaide South Australia. My mother ,for birthday or special occasions would always bake LA SCHIACCIA BRIACA…drunken Cake..On the Island of ELBA my dad tendered his vineyard of Aleatico grapes as his daily work. Here ,my mother substituted this wine with local Muscat for the recipe of this much sort after delicacy .
I have baked it myself many times with different results as my mother’s recipe was a bit of this , a cup of that.. I never baked one as good as my mums, but I have created my on version and had some great results & and a few crumbly botch ups , but they have all tasted great..
Going to bake one this weekend…!!!!