Colomba
The Marchesi 1824 Colomba, the great cake of spring

The crackly sound of the glaze as it is cut, releasing an intense and slightly sugary almond scent, is unmistakable. Immediately after, the inside of the cake appears before our eyes. The colour is intense and the porous crumb structure is perfectly even, but it is the softness — due to natural leavening — that is its distinctive feature. The fluffy texture is studded with candied Sicilian orange peel, set like gems in the cake. At first bite, the aromas of butter and citrus fruits blend and caress the palate together with the crunchy sweetness of the almond, Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar and Italian honey. This is the Marchesi 1824 Colomba, with a unique shape, a symbol of peace and an emblem of the reawakening of spring.
But what is the story behind the Colomba? The first news of the cake dates back to the sixth century and is lost in Lombard legends. In the city of Pavia, after a three-year Lombard siege, King Alboin demanded tribute from its most influential citizens. Among them, he received a sweet bread as a symbol of peace, shaped like the ancient sculpture of a dove in St. Michael's Basilica. Amazed by the deliciousness and flavour of this simple cake based on the ancient focaccia, the Lombard king renounced his claim to the city. From that moment on, the Colomba was eaten at Easter throughout the Lombardy Region. Its popularity spread to the rest of the country in the early 20th century and, over time, it became more similar to the leavened cake we know today.
Thus, the story of the Colomba has become a part of our modern-day life. Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 reinterprets it while preserving the tradition of this timeless cake, thanks to the use of the finest ingredients and flawless production.