I had one panettone mold left and when I saw this recipe in an old special issue of homemade desserts from GialloZafferano, I immediately wanted to try it.
It’s a tall, soft Easter pinecone cake, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, with a delicate aroma and a soft texture that wins you over at the first bite.
It’s made with simple ingredients, those of classic cakes, and is often enriched with flavors such as citrus or liqueurs — for example vermouth, but for me even an almond liqueur!
The name “pinecone” comes from its tall, slightly domed shape, which resembles a small pinecone… though, as always, some imagination helps 😄
I’ve just published a collection of Easter sweets and this little recipe joins the list!
P.S. The idea of the cardboard pan turned against me a bit because it took almost an hour and a half at 338°F… so I warned you!
I also have a free WhatsApp channel with one sweet and one savory recipe every day: click and subscribe → https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 tsp citrus paste (from Decora)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (00)
- 7 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup milk
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- as needed water
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- as needed colored sprinkles
Tools
cardboard panettone mold bought on Amazon (see below)
Decora citrus paste — read below
Steps
Beat the eggs with the vanilla seeds, the lemon zest, the citrus paste (I always use this because it smells amazing and you can find it here)
and the sugar until you obtain a light and fluffy mixture.
Add the vegetable oil and the milk and mix well.
Incorporate the cornstarch while continuing to stir.
Then add the flour little by little, folding gently.
Finally add the sifted baking powder and mix briefly without deflating the batter.Grease and flour a pan (8.7–9.4 in or a tall pan like a panettone).
I used this tall panettone mold (you can find it herePour the batter and level it.
Bake in a preheated conventional oven, remembering that times vary depending on the pan used, that is_
at 356°F for about 35 minutes (low pan about 8.7–9.4 in)
at 338°F for 80 minutes (tall pan)
Check doneness with a skewer: it should come out dry.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.After about 20 minutes this Easter pinecone had already risen a lot but clearly wasn’t fully cooked, so I covered everything (not touching it) with a sheet of aluminum foil to finish the baking.
Turn off the oven and let cool completely before unmolding this super-soft Easter cake.Put the powdered sugar in a bowl and add the water little by little while stirring until you get a smooth glaze that covers — but not too much — the top of the Easter pinecone and lets it drip down the sides.
Decorate with colored sprinkles.It is delicately scented with citrus and the taste is very, very pleasant!
Enjoy! Annalisa
