Light, artisanal, and even better if classic: Italians love colomba, the iconic Easter cake. These are the flavor preferences for Easter 2026, according to Aibi, the Italian Bakery Ingredients Association, a member of Assitol, the organization that represents bread, pizza, and pastry manufacturers. According to data from a preview of the research by Cerved, a company that specializes in assisting businesses in growth, the return of large-scale leavened products for special occasions is now a consolidated trend, which has led to the success of panettone and, to a lesser extent, colomba. The value of online trade for craftspeople has also been demonstrated. Colomba officially originated in Milan in the 1930s, thanks to the brilliant idea of Dino Villani, one of Italy’s greatest advertising figures, who proposed reusing the dough and machinery already used for panettone, reinventing the recipe of an old dove-shaped cake known in Lombardy. Tradition holds that the colomba originated in Pavia during the siege of the Lombard king Alboin, representing a gesture of peace from the city's inhabitants to end the war. Today's basic recipe includes eggs, butter, yeast, flour, candied orange peel, almonds, and granulated sugar.