Lucia's Breakfast Cake

Breakfast in Italy is usually a cup of perfectly prepared cappuccino and pastry. Since this is a Valentine's Day post, let's eat Italian style shall we?  To Read More, Click On The Recipe Title.
This little gem is called a breakfast cake...it really isn't like any other cake I've ever made. This is a cake made with a dough instead of a batter. There's no leavening in it, so it doesn't rise. The dough is pressed into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan, brushed with an egg wash and baked. It's a very simple little cake...no bells and whistles...none are needed. It holds it's ground as is, that was very evident with my first bite.
I cut this into wedges, picked it up with my hand and bit into a little cake that had a big shortbread cookie taste that was wonderful. A little crisp on the outside with a buttery shortbread consistency and taste that is addicting. Perfect for a light breakfast, fabulous with a cup of coffee or at tea time and with just the right amount of "sweet", it's the perfect ending to any meal. I doubled the vanilla in the recipe, 2 teaspoons instead of one. You could definitely switch out the vanilla for almond extract or add lemon zest to make it your own. Maybe add mini chocolate chips if that's your fancy....but make it as is the first time and taste the bliss of simplicity.

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Lucia's Breakfast Cake
Epicurious

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I used 2)
1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and blend until dough holds together. Press dough onto bottom of prepared pan. Use tines of fork to decorate edge. Brush with glaze. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.