Colomba cake recipe is a traditional Italian or French pastry that originated in the Italian province of Lombardy, especially around the city of Bergamo. Colomba means “butterfly” in Italian; the recipe is named for resembling a flying insect.
Most Colomba cake recipes feature a woody, aromatic base of pine or typically Italian herbs, such as rosemary and sage. The dough is enriched with butter and eggs and then breaded in Sugar. It is then adorned with roasted nuts-often chopped almonds-and candied fruit, like lemon peel and citron.
The cake is baked until the top becomes a golden brown crust that can be broken into pieces to reveal the moist, sweet bread below. It can be made as a wedding cake or a special dessert.
Contents
How To Prepare Colomba Cake Recipe?
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serving Size: 12
Ingredients For Colomba Cake Recipe:
- 1 ½ c. Flour
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ¼ c. Butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 Tsp. Baking Powder
- ½ tsp.
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
- ¾ c. Milk + 1 tsp. Lemon Juice ¼ c. Sugar ¼ c. chopped nuts
- 1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar for dusting over the finished cake
Instructions By Colomba Cake Recipe:
Step 1: Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with a hand mixer until combined.
Step 2: Add eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract while stirring. Slowly add the milk and mix until a smooth batter is formed.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease the cake pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter and flour it (if you want a crunchy crust, do it without spray).
Step 4: Pour half the batter into the pan and cover with nuts. Then add the rest of the batter on top, smoothing it evenly.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 5: Let the cake cool completely (1-2 hours) before removing it from the pan and decorating with powdered Sugar.
Nutrition Facts Of Colomba Cake Recipe
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 425 |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Sodium | 342 mg |
| Potassium | 154 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
Attractive 7 Healthy Nutrition Benefits Of Colomba Cake Recipe
1. Calories Help:
A calorie is an important element to consider when making a diet plan. If you are young, looking to lose weight, or if you’re active, it’s always good to know the calorie count of each food. For the Colomba cake recipe, there are about 420 calories in each serving.
2. Saturated Fat Helps Us:
Saturated fat is the worst type because it’s bad for our heart and increases the risk of heart disease. For this reason, when we find something containing saturated fat, we’ll want to reduce its intake as much as possible. In the Colomba cake recipe, you get about 1.3 grams of saturated fat.
3. Sodium:
Salt is an important element to help your body stay healthy by regulating your blood pressure and water flow through your circulatory system, among other things. Sodium is a part of salt, so you’ll want to consume it in moderation.
Each serving of Colomba cake recipe contains about 380 mg of this element.
4. Potassium Helps Lower Blood Pressure:
Potassium is an important element for us because it regulates the water balance in our bodies. We need to have the right amount of water since if we are dehydrated, our body can’t function correctly, and we’ll feel tired.
This element also helps lower blood pressure by regulating the sodium levels in the body. For this reason, you can notice that in each serving of the Colomba cake recipe, there is about 200 mg of potassium.
5. Carbohydrates Help:
We need carbohydrates to process the food we eat. This element is an important part of food, which means you’ll want to consume carbohydrates in moderation (for more details, check our article on “how to reduce diabetes risks”).
In the Colomba cake recipe, you will get about 45 grams (1 slice) or 140 grams (1 cup) of carbohydrates.
6. Protein Helps Us:
Eating a well-balanced diet is important, which means the right combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein is an essential part of our bodies because it is responsible for building and repairing cells.
We need to have a good amount of protein in our diets. For the Colomba cake recipe, you’ll get about 3 grams of protein per serving.
7. Cholesterol Helps The Heart and Reduces Cancer Risk:
Cholesterol is an important element in the body because it helps produce vital hormones and it’s used to build cell membranes. For this reason, cholesterol is one of the most important elements your body needs.
For the Colomba cake recipe, you’ll get about 82 mg of cholesterol per serving.
Is Colomba Cake Recipe Good For Health?
Colomba cake recipe is a great dessert if you want a tasty and healthy dessert. You should avoid consuming too much-saturated fat in your diet and limit your sodium intake if you want to use this recipe as a source of protein.
You’ll need to consume only 3 grams of protein per serving, which is one-fourth of the recommended daily amount.
Is It Safe For Heart Patients?
It’s best to avoid the Colomba cake recipe if you suffer from high cholesterol. It will be wise to avoid it if you have high blood pressure because it contains saturated fat, which is not good for your heart. However, this dessert is very common in Italian cuisine.
It can be made in different ways, so I recommend checking your recipe before making it.
Is Colomba Cake Recipe Suitable For Diabetics Patients?
The best thing about the colomba cake recipe is that it has moderate carbohydrates. You’ll need to take into account the amount you consume per serving. Carbohydrates give you energy and make your body function properly.
But if you want to lose weight or have diabetes, it’s recommended to consume them in moderation.
Is Colomba Cake Recipe Good For Pregnant Women?
It’s best to avoid the Colomba cake recipe during pregnancy because it contains moderate amounts of carbohydrates, cholesterol, and sodium. The calories from this dessert also won’t be ideal during pregnancy.
If you’re expecting a baby, I advise you to check with your doctor or midwife for the best diet.
Is It Suitable For children?
If you’re making Colomba cake recipes for children, it’s best to avoid the nuts or replace them with candied fruits. Some kids might have allergies to nuts, so it’s always best to check.
The calories from this dessert are not suitable for children because they will get more calories than they need in their daily diet.
Is this Recipe Good For vegans?
Yes, the Colomba cake recipe is a vegan-friendly dessert. Even if it’s a traditional Italian recipe, it can be made and eaten as a dessert without meat or dairy products. If you’re vegan, another treat to try is the quark torta, an Italian dessert that I recommend you take a look at.
Is This Recipe Gluten Free?
In case you are looking for gluten-free recipes, this one has gluten. It’s not just a dessert that is traditionally made using flour. There are some ways to make the dough with alternative ingredients.
It’s best to check what you’re making with the person who will have it to ensure that they are eating gluten-free products.
How Much Cost Of Colomba Cake Recipe?
The cost of the Colomba cake recipe will depend on the ingredients you use and the quality of the product. It will be cheaper if you’re buying some things in bulk, such as walnuts, pistachio, or hazelnuts.
For example, I bought 50 g of hazelnuts for € 4.30 ($ 5.55). Another example is when I bought 560 g of walnuts for € 20 ($ 23.25).
How Can I Store Colomba Cake Recipe?
Store this dessert in an airtight container in the refrigerator for more than 5 days. Although it’s a dessert made with basic ingredients, the lemon juice can make it go not good or lose its taste, so always keep it covered.
How Can I Freeze Colomba Cake Recipe?
1. You can freeze this dessert as soon as you finish making it.
2. You can make a Colomba cake recipe in advance and store it in the freezer. If you do that, thaw it for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Otherwise, the ice cream will melt quickly, and your dessert will become liquid again.
3. For a frozen Colomba cake recipe, I recommend that you defrost it overnight in the fridge before eating.
4. If you don’t want to use a thermal oven, you can set it in the freezer for about 3 hours and then enjoy it in the oven at a low temperature.
How To Serve Of Colomba Cake Recipe?
1. You can have the Colomba cake recipe as ice cream, but it’s good served with fresh fruit or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
2. You can enjoy the Colomba cake recipe as a dessert by serving it warm, but it’s also good at room temperature.
If you’re serving this dessert cold, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before eating so that the ice cream isn’t too hard to eat and is softer.
3. You can serve this dessert in slices or squares.
4. You can dust your Colomba cake recipe with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
5. You can serve the Colomba cake recipe on a pretty plate to impress your guests.
Conclusion
This dessert is very popular in Italian cuisine, but it’s also easy to make. If you’re looking for a delicious and healthy dessert, I recommend you give it a try because you’ll be surprised how well it tastes and how great it’s for your health.
Check the colomba cake recipe, the ingredients, and nutritional values, prepare it, and have a delicious dessert. If you’re going to use it as a protein source, make sure you consume only 3 grams of protein per serving.
