Catalyzes specifically the phosphorylation of ceramide to form ceramide 1-phosphate (PubMed:11956206, PubMed:16269826, PubMed:19168031). Acts efficiently on natural and analog ceramides (C6, C8, C16 ceramides, and C8-dihydroceramide), to a lesser extent on C2-ceramide and C6-dihydroceramide, but not on other lipids, such as various sphingosines (PubMed:11956206, PubMed:16269826, PubMed:19168031). Shows a greater preference for D-erythro isomer of ceramides (PubMed:16269826). Binds phosphoinositides (PubMed:19168031). an N-acylsphing-4-enine + ATP = ADP + an N-acylsphing-4-enine 1-phosphate + H(+) ATP + N-(hexanoyl)sphing-4-enine = ADP + H(+) + N-hexanoylsphing-4-enine 1-phosphate ATP + N-(acetyl)-sphing-4-enine = ADP + H(+) + N-(acetyl)-sphing-4-enine-1-phosphate ATP + N-hexadecanoylsphing-4-enine = ADP + H(+) + N-(hexadecanoyl)-sphing-4-enine-1-phosphate ATP + N-hexanoyl-(4R)-hydroxysphinganine = ADP + H(+) + N-hexanoyl-(4R)-hydroxysphinganine-1-phosphate Inhibited by sulfatide (PubMed:19168031). Inhibited by sphinganine, sphingenine, and N,N-Dimethylsphingosine (DMS) (PubMed:16269826). Cardiolipin at 0.1 uM significantly increases activity, whereas at concentrations >1 uM has an inhibitory effect (PubMed:27725450). Optimum pH is 6.0-7.8. High level expression in heart, brain, skeletal muscle, kidney and liver; moderate in peripheral blood leukocytes and thymus; very low in spleen, small intestine, placenta and lung.