An Italian sweet bread or fruitcake that originated in Milan. Its name is the Italian term for "large bread", and it is made during a long process that involves curing dough that is acidic, similar to sourdough, in a proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffiness. It typically is cupola-shaped and contains candied orange, citron, and lemon zest along with raisins, which are added dry and not soaked, but there are variations.
It became Italy's leading Christmas sweet by the end of World War II, but it is also prepared for Christmas and New Year in Western, Southern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as in South America, Eritrea, Australia, the United States and Canada – often in places where Lombard immigrants introduced the recipe.
