Looking for an Easy Homemade Italian Christmas cake recipe? A way to make a tasty Panettone without any fuss? I have a perfect solution for you – an easy-to-follow recipe that has several simple steps to follow and no special cooking skills required.
The key to a perfect Panettone is planning. Do not rush the recipe. Believe me that I know what I am saying. This is not my first attempt at making Panettone. I had somewhat of a fixation on baking Christmas bread this year myself. I started experimenting a month ahead before Christmas and tried following several recipes.
The recipe that you see is a result of those attempts. I can promise you if you follow the recipe and the number of ingredients to a tee, you will get perfect Christmas bread. You will get puffy at the same time sweet pastry, with zesty candied fruit.
Here are some other options to have for your Christmas dinner for a dessert:
Panettone Ingredients:
- 70 ml milk;
- 250 g all-purpose flour;
- 2 eggs;
- 1 tsp. dry active yeast;
- 80 g butter;
- 30 ml vegetable oil;
- 2 tbsps. sugar;
- 5 g vanilla sugar;
- 1 tsp. lemon zest;
- 3 g salt;
- 160 g candied fruit;
- 20 g raisins;
- 60 ml brandy;
- 1 egg yolk;
- 1 tbsp. milk.
How to make Classic Italian Christmas Bread at home:
- Rinse raisins and candied fruit under warm water. Cover them with brandy and leave for 4 hours.
- Heat milk until warm (do not let it boil). Add the active dry yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Nicely whisk the mixture until sugar dissolves and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes for the yeast to start reacting.
- Beat in two eggs and add sugar; pour vegetable oil. Thoroughly whisk the mixture using a mixer. Add vanilla sugar and lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Sieve all the flour and add salt. Start adding flour to the main mixture by bunches and, at the same time, keep whisking the dough. Use low speed at first and then keep it increasing until the dough thickens.
- Add butter and knead the dough.
- Drain brandy from raisins and fruit. Add them to the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for 7 to 8 hours.
- After refrigerating the dough, knead the dough with your hands and form a ball. Put the ball into a baking form and let it sit for 2-3 hours in a warm place. The dough should rise in the end.
- Preheat oven at 350ºF/180°C.
- Whisk egg yolk, add milk, and smear with this mixture on the top of the dough.
- Bake Panettone for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 300ºF/150°C and bake it for additional 20-30 minutes. You always can check the pastry with a wooden skewer. If the top starts burning, transport the form to the lower rack of the oven. Before serving, let the Panettone cool down a bit!
If you liked this Easy Panettone Recipe, I would appreciate it so much if you would share it on Pinterest or you could give the recipe a star review!
How to make Panettone – Italian Christmas Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 70 ml milk
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. dry active yeast
- 80 g butter
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 5 g vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 3 g salt
- 160 g candied fruit
- 20 g raisins
- 60 ml brandy
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Rinse raisins and candied fruit under warm water. Cover them with brandy and leave for 4 hours.
- Heat milk until warm (do not let it boil). Add the active dry yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Nicely whisk the mixture until sugar dissolves and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes for the yeast to start reacting.
- Beat in two eggs and add sugar; pour vegetable oil. Thoroughly whisk the mixture using a mixer. Add vanilla sugar and lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Sieve all the flour and add salt. Start adding flour to the main mixture by bunches and, at the same time, keep whisking the dough. Use low speed at first and then keep it increasing until the dough thickens.
- Add butter and knead the dough.
- Drain brandy from raisins and fruit. Add them to the dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for 7 to 8 hours.
- After refrigerating the dough, knead the dough with your hands and form a ball. Put the ball into a baking form and let it sit for 2-3 hours in a warm place. The dough should rise in the end.
- Preheat oven at 350ºF/180°C.
- Whisk egg yolk, add milk, and smear with this mixture on the top of the dough.
- Bake Panettone for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 300ºF/150°C and bake it for additional 20-30 minutes. You always can check the pastry with a wooden skewer. If the top starts burning, transport the form to the lower rack of the oven. Before serving, let the Panettone cool down a bit!
Notes
I cannot wait for your feedback to learn how your Panettones turned out!
