Easter Dove Cake

Our offer of Easter doves. Among Easter cakes, few have the symbolic power of the unmistakable dove. Because of its obvious form, a symbol of peace and love, which joins the egg that represents the Resurrection. Artisanal baked cake with fresh candied orange covered with icing and almonds, hand wrapping.

There are legends that would like to trace this Easter cake back to the Lombard period, even to the Lombard king Alboin who during the siege of Pavia (mid-VI century) saw himself offering, as a sign of peace, a sweet pan in the shape of a dove. Another legend is the Easter dove linked to the Longobard queen Teodolinda and the holy Irish abbot San Colombano. Legend has it that San Colombano upon his arrival in the city, around 612 was received by the Lombard rulers and invited with his monks to a sumptuous lunch. He was served many food with plenty of game, but Colombano and his, although not Friday, refused those over-rich meat served in a period of penance such as Lent. Queen Teodolinda was offended by not understanding, but the abbot overcame the unfortunate situation with diplomacy, stating that they would consume the meat only after having blessed them. Colombano raised his right hand in the form of a cross and the dishes turned into white doves of bread, as white as their monastic robes. The prodigy greatly struck the queen who understood the sanctity of the abbot and decided to donate the territory of Bobbio where the Abbey of San Colombano was born. The white dove is also the iconographic symbol of the Saint and is always depicted on his shoulder.

In reality it was Dino Villani, advertising director of the Milanese company Motta, already famous for its Christmas panettone, which in the thirties of the 1900s to exploit the same machines and the same pasta, devised a cake similar to panettone, but destined to the solemnities of Easter . The recipe was then taken up by Angelo Vergani who in 1944 founded Vergani srl, a company in Milan that still produces doves. Since then the Easter dove spread on the tables of all Italians, and even beyond the borders of Italy. The original dough, made with flour, butter, eggs, sugar and candied orange peel, with a rich almond glaze, has subsequently taken on various forms and variations.