Panettone, The Italian Christmas Cake

Panettone is an Italian Christmas cake that is a very light, airy and moist. It’s made with eggs, milk, butter, and studded with raisins and candied fruit throughout the cake. So buttery and delicious, you will be amazed at all the flavors this sweet cake offers you. The Italian Christmas cake is best served with coffee, espresso or tea for breakfast. It’s often enjoyed as an afternoon treat as well.

Some call it a Christmas bread while others call it a Christmas cake.
Panettone is baked in a special cylindrical mold which gives it, its distinctive look. Traditionally, it’s really an Italian Christmas cake that is eaten during the Christmas season.

The panettone has been a holiday tradition for Christmas in Italy for centuries, and one in our family for as long as we can remember. We always enjoy eating this cake throughout the month of December. It’s my husbands favorite breakfast of all, and he looks forward to getting one every year.

It’s a versatile cake, eaten alone, or whip some up into a panettone bread pudding. Even when it’s stale, it makes a fabulous French toast.

It’s legendary origins go back several centuries to Italy where it’s traditionally served as a dessert on holidays, especially served on New Year’s Eve with a glass of prosecco /sparkling wine, (aka the “Italian Champagne”).

Today, you can find panettone in most supermarkets and gourmet stores this time of year. Imported from Italy, you will find some that are covered with chocolate, we love those too!  And they even make mini panettone’s, which are ideal for the individual servings.

We never made one before, because we never really had to. But we did find a recipe on line for you on how to make a panettone from scratch. The best recipe was located in an article about Sullivan’s St. Bakery in New York City in a Gourmet magazine of December 2008, Click here for the recipe.

When you buy panettone, unwrap the outside packaging carefully, then open the inside plastic wrapping. Cut a slice, or as many you are serving, then reseal the cake using the original plastic wrap to keep it fresh for days. If you never had one before, this is the season to try one.

Thanks for stopping by!  We have a few more recipes before Christmas!
In the meantime, have a great day!