Castagnaccio (Italian Chestnut Flour Cake)

Name: Castagnaccio (Italian Chestnut Flour Cake)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g chestnut flour (- 2 cups); 380 ml cold water (- 1 ½ cups); 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (- optional); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons raisins; 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 tablespoons walnut kernels; 2 sprigs rosemary; 1 pinch salt

Instructions

Prep:20minCook:35min

Castagnaccio is one of the most traditional Tuscan desserts, a rustic cake made with chestnut flour, raisins, pine nuts, walnuts, and a touch of rosemary. Prepared only with water and extra virgin olive oil, it contains no eggs, no butter, and no yeast, which makes it very different from the soft, fluffy cakes we are used to today.The result is a moist, dense, and naturally sweet cake, where the flavor of chestnuts is the true star. In fact, the original Tuscan recipe did not include sugar at all, so that you could fully enjoy the natural sweetness of chestnut flour. Over time, many families began to add just a little sugar, making the taste more delicate and suitable for everyone.

Updated at: Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:50:23 GMT