I’m sharing this recipe for Christmas lemon panettone just in time for Christmas! This delicious cake is a true show-stopper and would be a unique and tasty dessert to accompany your holiday meal. My family loves finishing off our traditional Christmas lunch with this rich yet light and airy cake.
Panettone is a traditional Italian Christmas cake baked in a specific mold, which gives it a distinctive cylindrical look. The word panettone comes from the Italian word panetto, meaning ‘a small loaf cake’. I have fond memories of devouring panettone at our Christmas gatherings at my nonna’s home. Lunch would be finished, but the sweets stayed on the table all afternoon – which made it unbelievably easy to sneak a few bites of my favourite sweet dessert every time I passed by the table. They’re something so comforting about panettone – it’s soft, cakey texture and subtle sweetness. Even to this day when we open a fresh box of panettone, the aroma alone brings me back to my nonna’s house on Christmas Day.
This year I decided to pay homage to Christmas at by nonna’s by preparing a homemade rendition of this traditional Italian cake. Nonna would be proud. This recipe for Christmas lemon panettone makes a soft, supple dough that is similar to a moist and airy brioche. Added to the dough is aromatic vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice which adds a hint of freshness to this rich and buttery cake. Although the original recipe is very simple, you can add in other ingredients such as candied orange, lemon zest, as well as raisins or chocolate. Albeit it is fantastic served on its own, a hot beverage like espresso, tea, or even sweet wine or champagne is the perfect accompaniment.
Note that traditional Italian panettone is baked in a distinctive circular pan which gives it the typical cylindrical shape. I baked mine in a large shallow glass baking dish. Not the distinctive shape, but the same distinctive buttery flavour and moist texture as the classic cake.
If you try this recipe (and love it!) be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram with #bitesforfoodies so I can see your creation!
Yay! This looks and sounds really delicious. Must try for everyone at home.
I have never heard of panettone but it looks great and I love to bake so I will totally be trying this!
If you love to bake this recipe should be relatively simple for you to make!
That looks delicious! I will try this recipe in my kitchen too!
This looks so good. I love this kind and yours looks particularly declicious! Wish I could have a bite 🙂
This looks so delicious and moist! I never had a panettone but I know I would like to try it!
Oh goodness does this look good! I found a lemon poundcake recipe the other day, but I was on the fence about trying it. Definitely trying this recipe!!!
I love poundcake!!!! This is very similar…if you use cake flour it will be lighter and fluffier. The first time I made this I only have all-purpose on hand and it had more of a poundcake texture.
This looks so delicious and you have my toddler saying “cakeeee!” 🙂 I love anything with lemon and that sponge looks so light and fluffy. I’d love to make this for myself, I know it’d be a hit.
That’s awesome! I can see him saying that with his big smile and beautiful blond locks!
I pretty much love lemon anything. This doesn’t even sound difficult to make. I’m terrible in the kitchen sometimes, but tend to do better with desserts.
Actually, I’m great in the kitchen but terrible at baking, lol!
This looks so very yummy! I will have to try this out for the holidays. That is great that you can store it for so long too!
That looks delicious! I absolutely love lemon desserts, especially lemon cake, I bet everyone really enjoyed it!
Yes, they did! The kids requested chocolate so next time I’m going to add drizzled chocolate over top!
I love lemon anything in a dessert, this one looks super moist and delish!
This sounds so delicious. I love lemon flavored desserts and this one sounds so easy! I’d love to try this recipe!
Except for the yeast, I have everything I’d need to make this. My son would jump for joy if I made this today. He is a lemon cake fanatic and this one looks amazing.
I always keep yeast on hand because I make bread and cakes quite often.
Yum! I love lemon. This looks and sounds delicious! I will have to make this soon!
I need to make this for my mother-in-law soon. She loves this kind of cake and lemon is one of her favorite flavors.
Looks absolutely delicious, thanks for the recipe. I am pinning this for when I have some time to bake.
Hopefully you’ll find the time! Thanks for pinning!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Panettone. Lemon is my favorite flavor and the way you described the cake really makes me want a big piece with my morning coffee.
This is delicious with coffee…or dipped in hot tea!
That looks amazing! I’ve seen a Panettone, but I never knew what it was.
Now this looks delicious!! I love lemon flavored anything so I will definitely be making this soon!!
This looks and sounds so light. With all of the heavy, rich foods that many of us eat during the holidays this would provide a great break or pallet cleanse. I absolutely love lemon. Thank you for sharing!
Exactly! Just responded to a comment that this was a palate cleanser!
This recipe sounds perfect. I’m a fan of Lemon cake so I know that I would love this.
I love the sound of this recipe. We are big fans of desserts with Lemon, so this is perfect for us – coolchillmom
The lemon panetone looks like a perfect dessert for the holidays. It doesn’t look so sweet and is just the right amount of sweetness.
Exactly…it’s more like a palate cleanser, as opposed to being super sweet and heavy.
This looks so good and yummy! I’ll have to try this recipe out and soon. Thanks
I just saw some Panettone in the store today, for the first time. I had no idea what it was, but now, thanks to your explanation, I do. And yours looks SO much better than the store-bought version!
Awe, thanks! The traditional ones sold at grocery stores are delicious…you could try one and then if you’re ambitious, you could make one yourself!
This looks so lemony delicious and light. I’m sending your link to my mom, she loves all things lemony as I do.
Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow this looks great! I love any sort of lemon cake, so I bet this is delicious. Kaz 🙂
Oh, so pretty! I’ve never had a panettone that wasn’t tall, cylindrical, and studded with fruit, so I’m intrigued. I love lemon desserts, so this is a must-try in my book!
Actually, according to my husband this is NOT panettone because it doesn’t have the traditional shape (oh well!). The ingredients and the flavour are the same! He can buy me a proper panettone baking pan for next year, lol!
Still sounds delicious. 😉
This looks really tasty! It looks like it has the consistency of a really great cornbread, but sweet – will definitely have to try it!
Yum. I am a HUGE lemon fan so anything lemon I would love. This looks so good and light, my type of treat!
Lemony…light…perfect for you then! 😉
Love this!! It would make a great dessert or breakfast!
Oh wow this looks absolutely delicious – so light and fluffy! x
Oh yummy! I love how light and fluffy that piece of cake looks. I can only imagine how wonderful it must taste. Have go to try it!
Good to hear…I was hoping the photos would accurately show how fluffy and light this cake is.
Looks delicious! Love anything with lemon, they always taste delicious. Would love to try this for NYE since my menu list for Christmas is already set. 🙂
I’ve never heard of that before. That looks delish and pretty simple.
I have to admit I have never made a lemon panettone before but it looks delicious. This is something I will have to try making for my dad who loves anything lemon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Most people haven’t! If you not a baker you could buy one…they have them in most grocery stores around the holiday season.
That looks delish Lisa! It looks like it hits the spot especially with those raspberries. The powdered sugar and lemon make it seem really zesty.
Thanks Heather! Next time I’m going to add a berry compote and a drizzle of chocolate syrup 😉
Oh wow, this looks so good. I’d love to have this at Christmas or maybe even NYE. Sarah- Must Have Mom
This looks heavenly! I will have to try this out for Christmas brunch!
This looks delicious!!! I have started eating lemon desserts and love them!! This sounds like a good one.
Me too! I used to only love chocolatey, sugary desserts but I’ve been all about lemon lately.
All your recipes looks so delicious and so easy to make even for a challenged baker like myself 😀 Thank you!
Oh, don’t me wrong…I am very challenged as a baker, lol! I prefer inventing recipes on the fly (which you can’t do with baking!).
Yum. I love the flavor lemon adds to desserts. I haven’t heard of this before but it looks very good and light. Perfect for dessert after the big Christmas meal.
That’s what I was thinking too. I’d love to try it out!
Love lemon and don’t make enough desserts with it. I always end up making the chocolate things for the person obsessed with it. I like chocolate but lemon would be so nice for a change.
I often add lemon zest to desserts…it adds such freshness!
Wow, this looks awesome. I’d love to serve of this as a light dessert after the big meal.
It is light…although there are some made with chocolate and Nutella-not so light, but decadent!
That Christmas Lemon Panettone looks super yummy! I’ll definitely have to try this recipe out soon (it looks like the perfect dessert for the holidays!) <3
It’s THE traditional dessert in Italy!
Perfect timing to stop by your blog. This looks amazing!
Thanks Monica!