Pandoro cake is a super soft and fluffy cake made with simple ingredients that symbolizes Christmas in Italy like few other desserts. The powdered sugar sprinkled on top will remind you of a winter snow-capped mountain. It has a light, fluffy, yeast-risen golden interior and a brown outer surface. The authentic Italian Pandoro cake does not contain raisins or dry fruits which makes it the preferred Christmas cake of many. However, commercially sold pandoro cakes these days contain chocolate filling or limoncello to make different variations. Here is the recipe for pandoro Italian cake:
Ingredients
For Cake:
1. Active baker’s yeast: 20 grams
2. All-purpose flour: 30 grams
3. Egg yolks: 5
4. Granulated sugar: 120 grams
5. Unsalted butter: 200 grams
6. Whole egg: 1
7. Lemon: 1
8. Vanilla extract: 1 tablespoon
9. Cream: 1/2 cup
10. Powdered sugar: 30 grams
Recipe
1. Take a large bowl and crumble the yeast into it.
2. Combine the yeast with 1/3 cups of flour, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
3. Mix the ingredients and add enough water the make a soft dough.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
5. Sift the remaining flour onto your work surface and mix the remaining 1/4 cups of sugar.
6. Place the dough that has risen after 2 hours on the work surface.
7. Add 3 egg yolks and 3 tablespoons of butter to knead the dough. Knead it in a ball shape.
8. Take a large bowl and lightly flour it.
9. Add the dough to the bowl and cover it with a cloth. Keep it aside to rise again for 2 hours.
10. Flour your work surface and place the dough on it.
11. Add lemon zest and the vanilla extract and start kneading the dough in the cream.
12. Spread the dough and cut it in a rectangular shape.
13. Distribute 12-13 tablespoons of butter into the center of the dough sheet.
14. Fold the sheet into three and roll it out again. Let it rest for 30 minutes and repeat the folding and rolling for 3 more times.
15. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
16. Butter and flour the mold of the cake gently.
17. Put the ball of dough into the mold until it covers halfway.
18. Cover the mold with a cloth and let it sit in a warm place to rise for 20 minutes.
19. Bake the pandoro cake for 30 minutes.
20. Reduce the heat to 360 F and bake for 30 more minutes.
21. Unmold the cake and let it cool.
22. Dust powdered sugar on top of the pandoro cake and serve.
Pandoro cake is originated from Verona, the city of Romeo & Juliet. Pandoro in Italian means “golden bread” which is why the inside of the cake is golden. It's a simple and easy recipe that makes it a simple and delicious dessert. Traditionally, it is sprinkled with powdered sugar, however, it can also be decorated or filled with cream, chocolate, custard, or Mascarpone cheese. You can also buy pandoro cake online to be delivered at your doorsteps.