Mona de Pasqua

The colorful mona de Pasqua is a traditional Catalan Easter cake symbolizing spring and the end of Lent. Although there are numerous versions of the cake, it most usually consists of a sweet brioche dough that is stuffed with candied fruit and topped with hard-boiled eggs. Many versions of the cake are filled with cream, chocolate, or fruit jam, and covered with almonds or crème brûlée. The cakes are typically decorated with inedible baby chicks, chocolate eggs, or figurines of popular cartoon characters. The word mona in its name is derived from the Arabic munna, meaning gift or offering, because godparents traditionally give the cake to their godchildren on Easter.