The Christmas star cake is a Christmas dessert for the holidays, good and simple to prepare. During the Christmas season, people often prepare typical sweets, almond desserts, various pastries, and butter cookies. Pandoro and panettones are also indispensable: it would be really nice to make them at home, but unfortunately, they take so much time and not everyone is skilled with large leavened products.
For this reason, I thought of preparing this star-shaped Christmas cake. Sometimes it’s also nice to bring different desserts to the table than the traditional ones, such as the panettone cake, the millefeuille cake with nougat cream, the nougat and amaretti semifreddo or the kugelhupf.
In thinking about this Christmas star cake, I was inspired by the taste and aromas of panettone: as a base, I used a whipped butter shortcrust pastry (soft and moist like that of panettone) flavored with citrus peels and candied oranges. To make it even richer and more festive, I covered it with a delicious almond glaze, just like the one you find on almond panettone or colomba cakes. In its simplicity, this cake has a taste and texture that is all about Christmas!
For this soft Christmas tart, I used a star-shaped baking pan, but you can also make the same dough into a Christmas tree-shaped cake or other holiday themes. If you don’t have any of these molds, you can use a paper star mold or, simply, a classic 9-inch springform pan.
It’s very simple to prepare and the result is guaranteed even for those who are not very experienced with desserts and cakes. Since there are no creams, you can also prepare it 1-2 days in advance and keep it wrapped in plastic wrap. With this cake, you will really make a good impression with your guests. You can serve it as it is or accompanied by a classic orange custard or a delicious nougat cream.
Well, now let’s move on to the recipe and see together how to prepare this delicious glazed almond Christmas cake. But first, I leave you with other links that might be useful during the Christmas period to prepare your lunches.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: New Year, Christmas
- Energy 492.82 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 67.35 (g) of which sugars 47.40 (g)
- Proteins 7.90 (g)
- Fat 23.47 (g) of which saturated 11.25 (g)of which unsaturated 11.81 (g)
- Fibers 2.35 (g)
- Sodium 87.95 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 129 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to prepare the Christmas Star Cake
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup butter (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 packet vanillin
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup candied orange
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup almonds (whole and with skin)
- 2/3 cup almonds (whole with skin)
- as needed sugar crystals
Tools to prepare the Christmas Star Cake
- Baking Mold star-shaped
- Electric Whisks
- Lemon Grater
- Juicer
- Blender
Steps to prepare the Christmas Star Cake
Let’s see together how to prepare this delicious almond Christmas cake.
Before starting, take both the eggs and the butter out of the refrigerator.
Moreover, you will need to shape a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the star-shaped baking pan. To do this, place the mold on a piece of parchment paper. Trace the edge with a pencil and then cut it out, removing the pencil mark. Lightly grease the bottom of the baking pan with a little butter and place the parchment paper. This way, it won’t move when you pour the batter. Finally, also butter the edges of the baking pan.
Now you can proceed with preparing the batter.
First of all, grate the peel of a lemon and an orange and set aside.
From the orange, squeeze the juice and extract 40 grams.In a bowl, put the grated citrus peels, vanillin, sugar, orange juice, a pinch of salt, the eggs, and the yolk. Mix with electric whisks.
Keep aside the egg white that you will have left over because you will need it for preparing the glaze.
Add the very soft butter and work again at medium speed. You should form a cream.
Finally, add the flour and baking powder sifted together in several additions, and blend again with the electric whisks until you get a thick and creamy mixture, with a consistency very similar to a “pomade.”
Add the candied orange cubes and incorporate them into the mixture by hand with a spatula, trying to distribute them well.
Pour the batter into the baking pan and level the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
In a blender, put the whole almonds with the skin and the sugar. Blend until they become powder.
Add the egg white (that you previously set aside during the preparation of the cake) and the water. Blend for a few seconds: you should obtain a fluid but consistent mixture. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water.
Pour the glaze gently over the cake and spread it trying to cover the entire surface.
Finish by decorating with whole almonds and sugar crystals. Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F for about 35-40 minutes.
Always perform the toothpick test before removing the Christmas cake from the oven: if it still appears moist, cover the cake with aluminum foil and continue baking for a few more minutes.
Let it cool completely before removing it from the mold.
Your star-shaped Christmas cake is ready to be enjoyed in all its goodness!
Storage:
– The Christmas star cake keeps well for a few days. You can also prepare it the day before and store it wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
– If there are leftovers, you can freeze it cut into pieces, wrapping each piece in plastic wrap.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes, you can use a mild seed oil. However, with butter, the flavor of the almond Christmas cake is closer to the taste of panettone.
Can I add anything else besides candied orange?
Sure, you can also use candied citron, mixed candied fruit, or add some raisins. Similarly, if you don’t like candied fruit, you can omit them. In this case, increase the amount of orange and lemon zest a little.
What if I don’t have a star-shaped mold?
You can use any mold you prefer. It can also be another holiday theme or use paper molds for panettone. Alternatively, use a cake pan with a diameter of 9-10 inches.
