View source for Genoa cake

{{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 language|Italian]]) {{lang|it|pandolce genovese}} (in Italian)
| country          = [[Italy]]
| region           = [[Genoa]], [[Liguria]]
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Fruitcake|Fruit cake]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[raisin|Sultanas/raisins]] or [[Zante currant|currants]], [[cherries|glacé cherries]], [[flour]], [[Eggs (food)|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 [[Fruitcake|fruit cake]] consisting of [[raisin|sultanas]] (golden-coloured raisins), currants or raisins, glacé [[Cherry|cherries]], [[almond]]s, and [[Candied fruit|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 nut]]s as a major ingredient and uses [[yeast]] as its [[Leavening agent|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: [[Genoise|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]]
* [[Genoise|Genoese cake]]
* ''[[Pain de Gênes]]''

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cakes}}

[[Category:Italian cakes]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Liguria]]
[[Category:Christmas cakes]]