Traditional Christmas Cake Recipes in Other Countries

By Elizabeth Barletta

We all love Christmas cakes, either because they bring back childhood memories or because they now make our children happy. And you don’t have to know how to cream butter and sugar to have a perfect pie; you can leave that to a mixer. Let’s see what Christmas cake looks like in various countries. <description>

The symbolism of Christmas is everywhere the same. We celebrate new beginnings, hope, and gratitude. Still, surprisingly, Christmas cake shapes, tastes, and ingredients vary so much from country to country that you couldn’t even guess that it is Christmas pie.

The most complicated sweets have to be prepared two months in advance, but some are ready in 30 minutes. What all Christmas sweets have in common is warmth, happiness, and love between family members. These feelings are the reason why the Christmas holidays are so precious for us.

With different recipes, you will learn about various worldwide traditions. A surprise birthday party can have extra excitement with Christmas cakes from another country, or you can decide to make more than one Christmas cake. Let’s dive into a variety of traditions, and you will get some new Christmas cake ideas for sure.

Japanese Christmas Cake

We adore Japanese Christmas cake because it is a shortcake with strawberries as the main ingredient. It is fluffy, with plenty of creamy filling that is melting in your mouth. It has three layers: sponge cake, whipped cream, and strawberries. A delicate mix of sweet sauce and berries is a bingo combination for every child. Plus, it doesn’t have a lot of calories, so you don’t need to worry about extra weight. We recommend that you use organic eggs and homemade whipped cream for the best results.

Irish Christmas Cake

Although Irish people value traditions, it’s still possible to make this cake even when you have a busy schedule. For Irish Christmas cake, it won’t take more than 3 hours, including preparing, baking, and serving. So yes, we vote for this Christmas fruit cake. It’s delicious and worth every minute of your engagement in preparation. A small amount of whiskey (70 ml) gives a unique charm to this dessert.

British Christmas Cake

Traditionally, British Christmas cake was prepared 60 days before Christmas because it has to be soaked in brandy. But don’t worry, one trick can speed up the process. Soak the fruits in brandy the night before baking, and dessert will have perfect fluffiness.

When you are cooking it, be sure that you mix the compatible ingredients. Put the fruits in flour and spices in one bowl.  Mix sugar, butter and add eggs. The only thing that remains is to combine both mixtures and put them in the oven. You can also invite children to do Christmas cake decorations together.

Italian Cake

Panettone is originally from Milano, but now it is widely popular all over Europe. The main thing is to make dough fluffy but compact at the same time. We suggest that you use organic eggs and milk for the best results.

You should also add candied raisins, orange, and lemon. The most common shape is cupola-like, but you can make it a star to match one of those Christmas cake designs. It is served with a sweet wine like Sicilian Marsala, mulled wine, or with almond liqueur.

Hungarian Cake

Bejgli is a Hungarian word that you can translate as a walnut roll or poppy roll. It is served traditionally in Hungary during the Christmas holidays. This recipe is not easy because it requires at least four hours of preparation. However, it is worth the effort. This sweet became a regular dessert that you can serve throughout the year. Yet, most of the traditional families prepare Bejgli for Christmas.

German Christmas Cake

Stollen is a German sweet that combines almonds, nuts, candied orange peel, bourbon, and marzipan. No wonder that this dessert has a five-hundred-year tradition. If you have ever tried Stollen, you would have known that making the dough is the most important thing.

We will reveal a secret. Instead of cake flou

r, use bread flour because it gives a compact structure. Another tip from the chef is to use full cream milk so the sweets can be soft enough. The most exquisite touch for the Stollen is the marzipan, which gives that distinctive delicate aroma.

Conclusion

The best things about Christmas are family gatherings and the customs of giving and sharing. With sweets, we fill the hearts of our beloved with warmth. The smiles on the faces of our friends and family are the greatest gift. We share our suggestions for Christmas cakes so you can continue to share your love. Leave a comment and let us know more delicious recipes that you associate with Christmas.

About the Author

Elizabeth is a cook specialized in international cuisine and a writer of culinary books. First, she started pastry cooking classes, but now she is more into desserts and cakes and writes about it MyKitchenAdvisor. Elizabeth specialty is making sweets for different celebrations, weddings, and birthdays. She also adores doing Christmas cake decorations.

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