Known as the Italian Christmas cake, one bite of panettone can bring back the fondest memories of joyous evenings with family and friends during the holidays. Invented in Milan, this domed cake is loved for its fluffy texture and notes of citrus, vanilla, and candied fruit. The classic version of this Italian cake is studded with raisins and candied orange peel, but over the years bakers have become very inventive with their fillings! Muzzi Pear & Chocolate Panettone and Scarpato Eggnog Cream Panettone are just two examples of how creative these Italian Christmas cakes can get. When it comes down to it, what makes panettone Italian cake a special dessert is the long process of leavening the dough, which can take several days, but gives it the perfect flavor, texture and aroma.
What is pandoro cake?
Pandoro cake is kind of like the sister cake to panettone. While panettone is round and squat and filled with candied fruit, traditional pandoro is a tall, plain, soft butter cake topped with powdered sugar. Pandoro is wider at the bottom than it is at the top, and traditionally is shaped so that when one cuts a horizontal slice, it comes out looking like a star! Many Italian brands that make panettone also make pandoro, such as Fiasconaro, Bauli, Filippi, and Tre Marie.
What is colomba cake?
The Italians have traditional cakes for each of their major holidays. Colomba cake is the one that every Italian family eats for Easter. In terms of texture and ingredients, it is actually quite similar to panettone. The biggest difference between the two Italian cakes is the shape: colomba cakes are shaped like doves, to represent Jesus (or for the less religious, love and peace). These Easter cakes are also usually topped with almonds and sugar sprinkles. Many of the same brands mentioned before that produce panettone and pandoro cakes also make colomba.
