Colomba Cake is the classic Italian Easter Sweet Bread that’s shaped to look like a dove. This recipe is the quick way to make this classic Easter cake and is ready in just a few hours.
Colomba Cake, which means “dove cake” in Italian is the traditional Easter cake recipe that’s more of a sweet bread. Known also as Colomba Pasquale, this recipe is a fun treat to have on hand for the holiday. It’s great served with a cup of hot coffee and some fresh berries.
If you love traditional Italian Easter recipes, be sure to try my Italian Easter Pie, Italian Rice Pie, or these soft and buttery Italian Easter Cookies. For another brunch treat for your Easter table, don’t miss my Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake or this moist and flavorful Hummingbird Bread recipe.
You’ll Love Colomba Cake!
Colomba Cake is the traditional dove-shaped cake served during Italian Easter celebrations. The shape of a dove is the symbol of peace, but you can make this cake in any shape.
Colomba Cake is similar to a traditional holiday panettone with a more dense texture. It’s commonly served on Easter day and has become the Italian culinary symbol of Easter.
This cake is more like a sweet bread with a slightly chewy texture and is filled with raisins and almonds, but you can add in candied fruits as well. You can finish the cake with pearl sugar, or top it with more almonds and a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Traditional la Colomba cake can take up to twelve hours to make with a long overnight dough rise. Here, I have cut down the time and prep work significantly while keep the delicious flavor and texture of the cake.
You’ll love that you can make the majority of this cake in your stand up mixer fitted with the blade attachment. And, if you’d can’t find a dove-shaped pan, you can always make this in a baking pan instead.
So, if you are looking to make a traditional Italian Easter cake this year, be sure to give this Colomba Cake a try. You’re going to love it!
Ingredients and Variations
- Yeast: use dry active yeast to help with the dough rise. This natural yeast is available in packets at most grocery stores.
- Sugar: you will need granulated sugar to both help the dough rise and add sweetness to the bread.
- Water: use room temperature water about 105-110 degrees.
- Zests: add both orange zest and lemon zest to the dough.
- Flour: use regular all-purpose flour. You could also use bread flour.
- Eggs: I like to use either organic eggs or fresh barn eggs. You will need both the egg yolks and the egg whites.
- Butter: To make a soft dough, finish off the Colomba cake with softened butter. Unsalted or salted works.
- Salt: use kosher salt if possible.
- Rum: a bit of rum adds great flavor but is completely optional. Feel free to use your favorite liqueur instead or omit it altogether.
- Almonds: crushed almonds are a classic ingredient to add to the dough of the bread. You will also need whole almonds to decorate the top of the sweet cake before baking.
- Raisins: raisins are another classic ingredient added to Colomba cake. Soak the raisins in juice before adding.
- Variations: add fresh candied orange peels, candied fruit, or chopped whole nuts to the dough batter before baking.
How to Make a Quick Colomba Cake
Italian Easter Colomba Cake, known as Colomba di Pasqua, is known for being made in a special dove-shaped mold, but can be made in a standard 9×13 inch baking pan. This sweet fruit- studded bread can be filled with candied fruit, raisins, or nuts, and is commonly topped with almonds and pearl sugar.
The powdered sugar glaze is optional but makes for an extra special treat. You’re going to love this quintessential Italian Easter cake!
Step 1: proof the yeast
In the bowl of a large stand mixer, combine 2 ¼ cups flour, sugar, yeast, orange zest and lemon zest. Mix with a spoon until combined.
Step 2: first rise
Then, add in the warm water and mix with a dough hook until the mixture is well combined. Continue kneading the dough with the dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes. (If the dough is sticky and doesn’t form a ball, add in a tablespoon of flour until a dough forms).
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour (the dough will not rise much at this point).
Step 3: add eggs
To the dough, add in another cup of flour, the fresh eggs and yolk, rum, and kosher salt. Continue mixing with dough hook until well combined. (You may need to break apart the first dough with your hands if it is not combining.) Add additional flour to the mixture if needed to form a dough.
Step 4: add mix ins and butter
Add in the raisins and chopped almonds and continue mixing until combined.
Then, add in the butter, adding two tablespoons at a time, until it combines with the dough. Continue mixing and adding butter. (This process will take about 10-15 minutes).
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Shaping the Colomba Cake
When ready to shape the Colomba Cake, start by greasing your Easter dove-shaped mold or baking pan with nonstick spray.
Step 5: roll out dough
If baking in a dove-shape mold, divide the dough in half and roll into a log shape.
Step 6: add to mold and rise
Place one part of the dough in the mold so that it occupies the center of the mold to form the body. Do the same thing with the second part of the dough so it forms the wings. (If making in a baking pan, gently press the dough into the baking pan).
Cover the pan and let the dough rise for at least an hour. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and position baking rack in the center of the oven.
Step 7: add almonds
Before baking, press the whole almonds on top of the Colomba cake and sprinkle on the pearl sugar if using. Bake on center baking rack for about 50 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil if it starts to brown too quickly.
Step 8: cool on wire rack and glaze
Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before removing the mold.
To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and enough milk until you have a pourable glaze. Drizzle over top of the cooled cake and let sit until the glaze firms up. Slice and serve.
Topping the Colomba Cake
Since this is a quick recipe for Colomba cake, you won’t find the traditional brown sugar nut topping. Instead, I am using a simple powdered sugar icing.
You can top this Italian cake with the classic brown sugar by pulsing together almonds, hazelnuts, brown sugar, cornstarch and eggs and topping the colomba cake before baking.
You could also make a quick almond icing by adding some almond extract to the icing before drizzling on top. Or you can keep it simple and just serve as is with the whole almonds.
More Italian Easter Recipes!
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Colomba Cake (Colomba di Pasqua)
Equipment
- Dove-Shaped Cake Mold Can also use a 9×13 inch baking pan
Ingredients
Sponge
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 lemon, zested
- ½ cup warm water
For the Second Part of the Recipe
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon rum (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup almonds, chopped
- ½ cup butter, softened
Topping
- ¼ cup whole almonds
- 1 tablespoon pearl sugar (optional)
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a large stand mixer, combine 2 ¼ cups flour, sugar, yeast, orange zest and lemon zest. Mix with a spoon until combined. Then, add in the warm water and mix with a dough hook until the mixture is well combined. Continue kneading the dough with the dough hook on low speed for 5 minutes. (If the dough is sticky and doesn't form a ball, add in a tablespoon of flour until a dough forms).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour (the dough will not rise much at this point).
- To the dough, add in another cup of flour, the eggs and yolk, rum, and kosher salt. Continue mixing with dough hook until well combined. (You may need to break apart the first dough with your hands if it is not combining.) Add additional flour to the mixture if needed to form a dough.
- Add in the raisins and chopped almonds and continue mixing until combined.
- Then, add in the butter, adding two tablespoons at a time, until it combines with the dough. Continue mixing and adding butter. (This process will take about 10-15 minutes).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your dove-shaped mold or baking pan with nonstick spray.
- If baking in a dove-shape mold, divide the dough in half and roll into a log shape. Place one part of the dough in the mold so that it occupies the center of the mold to form the body. Do the same thing with the second part of the dough so it forms the wings. (If making in a baking pan, gently press the dough into the baking pan).
- Cover the pan and let the dough rise for at least an hour. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and position baking rack in the center of the oven.
- Before baking, press the whole almonds on top of the Colomba cake and sprinkle on the pearl sugar if using. Bake on center baking rack for about 50 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil if it starts to brown too quickly.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before removing the mold.
- To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and enough milk until you have a pourable glaze. Drizzle over top of the cooled cake and let sit until the glaze firms up. Slice and serve.
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