{{Short description|Fruit cake from Genoa, Italy}} {{Distinguish|Genoise|Genoa bread}} {{Use British English|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox food | name = Genoa cake | image = genoa-cake.jpg | image_size = | caption = Genoa cake (supermarket own-brand with few cherries) | alternate_name = {{lang|it|Pandolce}}, (in Italian) {{lang|it|pandolce genovese}} (in Italian) | country = Italy | region = Genoa, Liguria | creator = | course = | type = Fruit cake | served = | main_ingredient = Sultanas/raisins or currants, glacé cherries, flour, eggs, butter, sugar | variations = | serving_size = 100g | calories = 340 <!-- kcal per 100g --> | protein = 4 <!-- per 100g --> | carbohydrate = 59 <!-- per 100g --> | fat = 9 <!-- per 100g --> | calories_ref = <ref name=tesco /> }}
'''Genoa cake''',<ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/genoa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226082955/https://www.lexico.com/definition/genoa |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |title=genoa |dictionary=Lexico UK English Dictionary |publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> known in Italian as '''{{lang|it|pandolce}}'''{{efn|{{IPA|it|panˈdoltʃe|label=Pronounced|small=no}}; {{langx|lij|pandoçe}}, {{IPA|lij|paŋˈduːse|pron|small=no}}; {{literally|sweet bread}}.}} or '''{{lang|it|pandolce genovese}}''', is a fruit cake consisting of sultanas (golden-coloured raisins), currants or raisins, glacé cherries, almonds, and candied orange peel or essence, cooked in a batter of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar.<ref name=tesco>[http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254947026 Ingredients and nutritional analysis of commercially made Genoa Cake] at Tesco supermarket</ref><ref>[http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1764636/genoa-cake Genoa Cake recipe] BBC Good Food Magazine</ref>
==Origins== Although the name ''Genoa cake'' is mainly used in the United Kingdom, where recipes for it have been around since the 19th century,<ref>Recipe 154 in ''The Bread Biscuit Bakers and Sugar-Boiler's Assistant'' by Robert Wells (London, 1890)[http://www.cooksinfo.com/genoa-cake]</ref> it is a variant of the '''{{lang|it|pandolce}}''' ({{IPA|it|panˈdoltʃe|lang}}; {{langx|lij|pandoçe}}, {{IPA|lij|paŋˈduːse|lang}}; {{literally|sweet bread}}) cake which originated in 16th century Genoa as a Christmas cake. Unlike Genoa cake, traditional {{lang|it|pandolce}} includes pine nuts as a major ingredient and uses yeast as its raising agent, which requires several hours to rise, like bread.<ref>[http://gourmetliguria.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/gourmet-words-from-italian-riviera_07.html Gourmet Liguria]</ref> This original form is today known as {{lang|it|pandolce alto}} ('deep {{lang|it|pandolce}}'), whilst a simpler variant which uses baking powder is known as {{lang|it|pandolce basso}} ('flat {{lang|it|pandolce}}') and is essentially the same as the Genoa cake sold in the UK, with a moist but crumbly texture.<ref>[http://www.ediblecommunities.com/grandetraverse/recipes/holiday-2011/pandolce-basso-genovese.htm Pandolce Basso Genovese] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015234143/http://www.ediblecommunities.com/grandetraverse/recipes/holiday-2011/pandolce-basso-genovese.htm |date=2013-10-15 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.gnocchialpesto.co.uk/pandolce Pandolce Christmas cake]</ref>
The term ''Genoa cake'' is also sometimes used to refer to two other Genoa-related cakes, neither of which are fruit cakes: Genoese cake, a light sponge cake,<ref>[http://www.gourmetbritain.com/recipes_entry.php?item=115 Gourmet Britain Genoa cake recipe]</ref> and ''pain de Gênes'' ('Genoa bread'), a dense almond cake.<ref>[http://www.cooksinfo.com/genoa-cake Cook's Info: Genoa Cake]</ref>
==See also== {{Commons category-inline|Pandolce}} {{Portal|Italy|Food}} * Cuisine of Liguria * List of Italian desserts and pastries * Genoese cake * ''Pain de Gênes''
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Cakes}}
Category:Italian cakes Category:Cuisine of Liguria Category:Christmas cakes