If you need a large, easy, festive dessert for the holidays, it doesn't get any better than this no-bake Italian Christmas Pudding Cake! It uses panettone to make a trifle-like creamy pudding. Like trifle, it needs to sit overnight to meld the flavours.
This recipe is adapted from the UK BBC recipe collection. It uses store-bought panettone for ease, whipped cream and sour cream for decadence and dried cranberries, pomegranate arils, pistachios and chocolate chips for a festive flair!
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So that definitely puts it in the 'it -doesn't-get-any-easier-than-this' category.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Panettone: Pandoro is my preferred panettone because it is a bit creamier than regular, but any panettone works.
- Sour cream: Don't use low or no-fat. You want the richness of a full-fat. And, if you want to be really decadent, go for Mascarpone.
- Marsala: A sweet Marsala will give you a bit of a cannoli vibe. You could substitute rum or brandy, but it will be diverging from the Italian theme.
- Pistachios: You could use walnuts or pecans, but you will be moving away from the Italian theme.
How To Make It
- You will make the cream mixture
- Cube the panettone and layer panettone, Marsala and the cream mixture repeatedly in a springform pan.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- Remove the spring form, cover the 'cake' with the reserved cream mixture and sprinkle the top with chopped nuts, chocolate and pomegranate seeds.
Like a trifle, you drizzle the panettone with booze and whipped cream and let the flavours meld.
Chef's Tips for Italian Christmas Pudding Cake
- Use a sweet Marsala and plan to serve what is left alongside the cake!
- The effort in this cake is in the assembly. If you can whip cream and cut cake, you can make this!
- The cake is too soft to move off the base of the springform pan unless you line it with parchment paper. When you are ready to move it to the serving platter, take a wide spatula and gently slide it to the platter. The parchment paper will be soggy, but it will hold it together. When you are slicing the cake to serve, be aware so you don't cut and serve the parchment paper too!
- Be sure to press the panettone lightly to make solid layers so the cream will have to soak into the cubes and not just drip through.
- Many of the ingredients are divided, and some are reserved until you are ready to serve, so read the steps carefully. It may help to measure the Marsala, chocolate chips and pistachios first and then divide them up so you don't accidentally use the entire amount at a time. The cream filling gets divided after you have combined it with the chips and cranberries.
- You can assemble the cake up to 2 days before serving. It needs at least 8 hours to set.
- I froze the leftovers. They got softer and yes.... soggier, so the presentation was not what I would want for company, but it still tasted delicious and disappeared on sight!
Wine Pairing for Italian Christmas Pudding Cake
For a match made in heaven, serve it with a little glass of the Marsala or brandy you used in the cake!
FAQs
Can I Use Mascarpone Instead of Sour Cream?
You certainly can. Use 1 pound of mascarpone instead of the sour cream in the recipe.
What Can I Use Instead of Panettone?
Panettone has a soft, bread-like texture. You might use pound cake or a quick bread, but your texture will be a bit heavier. Depending on the size of your cake, you may need more than one to fill the 9" spring pan.
Can I Freeze This?
The texture becomes soggy after freezing and defrosting. I froze some leftover pieces, and they tasted good, but they didn't look as appealing as before they had been frozen.
Related Recipes
Italian Christmas Pudding Cake
No bake, make ahead and delicious. Holiday entertaining doesn't get any easier than this! Pandoro is recommended because it is a bit creamier but any Panettone will work.
If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!
Save Print Pin FacebookServings: 12 servings
Equipment
- 9 " Spring form pan
Ingredients
- 22 oz panettone Pandoro preferred
- 15 Tbsps sweet Marsala (divided 6 + 9) can substitute Brandy or Rum
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup caster sugar regular will work
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 ¾ cup sour cream Original called for 1 lb Mascarpone
- 75 grams dried cranberries
- 125 grams mini chocolate chips (divided 100 grams + 25 grams) or rough chop regular chocolate chips
- 100 grams pistachios (divided 75 grams and 25 grams) shelled, rough chopped
- 2 Tbsps pomegranate seeds fresh
Instructions
- Line the base of your spring form pan with parchment paper. This is to help you slide the finished cake to a serving platter when done.
- Cut the panettone into roughly 1" cubes.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar until light and frothy. Beat in the sour cream and then the whipping cream and 9 Tbsps Marsala. Beat until mixture is thick and spreadable. Transfer 1 cup to a separate container and reserve. You will use this to top the cake just before serving.
- Rough chop the pistachios, dried cranberries and chocolate chips (not necessary if using mini chocolate chips).
- Set aside and reserve 25 grams each of the chocolate chips and pistachos. You will use these to decorate the top of the cake when ready to serve. Add the remaining chocolate chips and pistachios to the remaining cream mixture.
- Line the bottom of the spring form pan with ⅓ of the panettone pieces. Sprinkle 2 Tbsps of the Marsala evenly over the bottom layer. Lightly press the panettone together so the cream mixture will soak in not drip through the bottom. Cover with ½ the cream mixture.
- Make a second solid layer of panettone pieces, drizzle with 2 Tbsps Marsala and cover with the 2nd half of the cream mixture.
- Make a top layer of panettone pieces and sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsps Marsala. Smooth the layer out and press lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
- When you are ready to serve, unmold the spring form pan. Use an offset spatula to gently transfer the cake from the spring form bottom to your serving plate. The parchment paper will come with you so just be aware that you don't cut in to it when you are serving.
- Slather the top with the reserved cream mixture. Traditionally the sides are left bare but you can 'ice' the side lightly as well if you have enough cream mixture. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips, reserved pistachios and pomegranate arils evenly over the top.
- Slice and serve.
- The cake should be served within 2 days from the point of assembly. Leftovers will keep another day or so but be aware the cake will get a bit softer and soggier with each passing day.
- Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container up to 3 months. The defrosted cake is very soft so presentation is compromised somewhat but it still tastes delicious.
Nutrition
Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 561IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg
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