Welcome back! Today we’re making a very special cocoa colomba that I decided to call the colomba suitable for everyone. Do you know why? Because it’s gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free, so it’s really perfect for every need.
This is a super simple recipe, the kind we love, without too many complicated steps. As you may have noticed, the colomba is deliberately low. As I always recommend for gluten-free preparations, make them wider and lower because they stay much less gummy and are much better to eat for people with this issue.
The final touch makes it super indulgent: I prepared a glaze with water and powdered sugar and sprinkled it with coarsely chopped hazelnuts. You will taste how delicious it is!
Come with me and let’s start baking.
Enjoy the recipe — Giussi.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients for the cocoa colomba suitable for everyone
If you want to make the classic version, use 00 flour instead of rice flour and potato starch.
- 1 1/8 cups gluten-free rice flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free potato starch
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 oz whole cane sugar (or granulated)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free)
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp water (at room temperature)
- 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3.5 oz powdered sugar (gluten-free)
- as needed water
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
Tools for the cocoa colomba
- 1 Colomba mold
Steps for the cocoa colomba
In a bowl, start by mixing the rice flour, the potato starch, the sugar, the cocoa and the baking powder.
Separately, in a jug or a large glass, mix the water and the vegetable oil, making sure the sugar dissolves well. Pour this liquid mixture slowly into the dry ingredients, stirring until you obtain a batter that will be rather liquid.Pour everything into a previously buttered and floured pan (I used the colomba-shaped mold, but a rectangular pan about 12 x 8 inches or a 10-inch round pan also works well).
Bake in a preheated, conventional oven at 356°F for 20 to a maximum of 23 minutes. Always do the toothpick test: if it comes out dry, you can remove the cake from the oven.
Let cool completely in the pan.
Once the cake is cold, prepare the glaze with 100 g (about 3.5 oz) of powdered sugar, adding water drop by drop, little by little, because it becomes liquid very easily.I chose to make it semi-liquid so the cake soaks up a bit and stays more indulgent. Spread the glaze on the surface and immediately sprinkle with the coarsely chopped hazelnuts (I crushed them by leaving them in the bag and hitting them with the rolling pin), so they stick well.
The cocoa colomba is now ready to be tasted. I hope you like it as much as I did.
Thank you for cooking with me. See you on the next kitchen adventure and thank you always for the trust you’ve shown me over all these years.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can the colomba be prepared in advance?
Yes, you can prepare it the day before. I recommend adding the glaze and the hazelnuts only shortly before serving, so the topping stays glossy and the hazelnuts remain crunchy.
Can I substitute the potato starch?
Yes, if you don’t have potato starch you can use corn starch (cornstarch). The important thing is to keep the same proportions to guarantee the right consistency of the batter.
Why did the glaze become too runny?
Powdered sugar absorbs moisture very quickly. It’s essential to add the water literally drop by drop, one at a time, mixing well before adding more, until you get the desired consistency.
Can I use another type of oil?
Certainly. I recommend vegetable oil (such as sunflower or corn oil) because it has a neutral flavor that doesn’t overpower the cocoa taste, but you can use whichever oil you prefer.
