Chickpea Cake

Name: Chickpea Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: Chickpea flour 4 ¼ cups; Water 6 ½ glasses; Fine salt 5 ¼ tsp; Peanut seed oil 0.8 cup

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Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Vegetarian
Vegan

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Makes: 2 pieces
Cost: Low
Note plus resting time (1-3 hours)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Da Gagarin

Chickpea cake, or "5 e 5" as locals say in Livorno, is a classic of Tuscan street food. It got its name from when folks would ask for "five cents of cake and five of bread" at bakeries. And yeah, it’s still huge in Livorno today. You’ll find it in local bakeries, baked in these big trays, then cut into slabs that fit perfectly in a soft roll like the francesino or the chewy local schiaccia focaccia. What you get is a simple, crispy bite that's all about Tuscan food culture—no fuss, just really tasty stuff. Seriously good.

People love how the healthy cake recipe brings a lot of flavor with just chickpea flour, water, and olive oil. It’s got that golden, tender inside and a thin crispy edge. Every bite is soft yet crunchy. "5 e 5" is super popular in Livorno because it’s vegan and naturally gluten-free. Some call it a chickpea flour cake or even a protein-rich dessert, but to locals, it is street food—something you grab with friends, especially at the beach. And the texture? The warm, moist inside with a golden crust is really, really addictive when stuffed inside bread that soaks up olive oil.

And you know what? Even people from other parts of Italy are surprised by how this simple combo becomes something super memorable. For those curious about plant-based baking or wanting to try old-school recipes, this dish is a great excuse to play in the kitchen. It's not just a garbanzo bean cake—it’s part of Livorno’s identity. Tasting it feels like getting a piece of local pride in every bite. Whether you call it a flourless cake or just awesome street food, "5 e 5" is something you’ll want to share. Once you realize how easy and satisfying it is, you'll love it. Pretty much.

INGREDIENTS
Ingredients (for 2 12-inch pans): Chickpea flour 4 ¼ cups (500 g); Water 6 ½ glasses (1.5 l); Fine salt 5 ¼ tsp (30 g); Peanut seed oil 0.8 cup (200 ml)

Preparation

How to prepare Chickpea Cake

To prepare the chickpea cake, first pour the chickpea flour and salt into a bowl 1. Add 1/3 of the water 2 and mix until you obtain a smooth mixture without lumps 3.

Add the remaining water and mix again 4. Cover with plastic wrap 5 and let it rest for 1 to 3 hours. The resting time varies depending on the season, the warmer it is, the faster it will mature 6.

Pour the mixture into a pitcher 7, allowing it to overflow slightly so the foam spills out. Use a spatula to remove any remaining foam 89.

Grease 2 12-inch pans with 1/4 cup of oil each 10. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of oil into the mixture 11 and mix well 12.

Pour half of the mixture into each pan 13 14 and bake in a preheated static oven at 480°F for about 20 minutes, until a nice crust forms on top 15.

Storage

The chickpea cake keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Advice

If you have a very powerful oven, we recommend baking the chickpea cake at 645-660°F.

For baking, always adjust according to your oven. You can bake it on the lowest rack and then move it to the middle-high one to form the crust.

From Gagarin

An unmissable stop for locals to taste the "5 and 5": French roll or "schiacciata" with chickpea cake inside. A must for first-time tasters of chickpea cake for "outsiders"! We are talking about the Antica torteria Al Mercato Da Gagarin, an institution to taste this typical Livornese specialty based on chickpea flour, a place anchored in the tradition of time, family-run, where guests are cooked for and served with courtesy and passion

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.