Panettone Cake

Name: Panettone Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Panettone (2 slices cut from a panettone) 12.3 oz; Water 0.4 cup; Sugar 2 ½ tbsp; Orange liqueur ½ tbsp; Mascarpone cheese 1 cup; Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup; Condensed milk ¼ cup; Spreadable hazelnut cream &frac13; cup; Mascarpone cheese 1 ¼ cup; Spreadable hazelnut cream ¾ cup; Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup; Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste; Edible gold to taste

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Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 5 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low
Note + setting times (about 2 h)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lucake

Panettone cake is just the thing that really brings everyone together during the holidays. In Lombardy, especially around Milan, you'll find panettone at every gathering. But you know what really gets people excited? When someone turns leftover slices into a whole new treat. La torta di panettone, as folks call it, layers pieces of this tender Italian Christmas cake with a super creamy mascarpone filling. But no eggs here, making it extra light yet still rich. Then comes another layer—this one’s all about that silky hazelnut spread, mixed right into the cream for a deep, nutty flavor.

It looks fancy on the table. Really fancy. Especially with a dusting of cocoa powder and a touch of edible gold leaf to catch the light. People love that it keeps the best parts of the original panettone cake—the sweet, candied fruit and soft bread—while making it even more indulgent.

Look, many families in Lombardy end up with extra panettone bread after Christmas, so this kind of dessert feels both resourceful and luxurious. It’s got that classic Italian Christmas cake vibe, but without the stress of complicated steps or rare ingredients. Pretty simple. The layers come together quickly, and before you know it, you've got a traditional panettone recipe that’s a real showpiece. Friends and relatives really get a kick out of seeing a familiar holiday staple turned into something with such moist texture and a golden look.

While some regions stick to serving panettone plain, in Milan, you’ll find people enjoying creative twists like this for gatherings, potlucks, or just a cozy night in. And the mix? It’s the mascarpone and hazelnut spread bringing both soft and rich flavors, making each bite a little different from the last. For anyone who loves festive bread but wants something just a bit more special, this cake really nails it—simple to throw together, but seriously good enough to make everyone feel like they’re celebrating.

INGREDIENTS

Panettone 12.3 oz (350 g) - (2 slices cut from a panettone)

for the soak: Water 0.4 cup (100 g); Sugar 2 ½ tbsp (30 g); Orange liqueur ½ tbsp (10 g)

for the mascarpone cream: Mascarpone cheese 1 cup (250 g); Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup (200 g); Condensed milk ¼ cup (90 g)

for filling: Spreadable hazelnut cream ⅓ cup (80 g)

for the hazelnut mascarpone cream: Mascarpone cheese 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Spreadable hazelnut cream ¾ cup (200 g); Fresh liquid cream 0.4 cup (100 g)

for decorating: Unsweetened cocoa powder to taste; Edible gold to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Panettone Cake

To prepare the panettone cake, start with the soak: pour the water and sugar into a saucepan 1. Turn on the heat and bring to a near boil while stirring 2, the sugar should be completely dissolved. Let it cool and add the liqueur 3. Stir and set aside.

Move on to the mascarpone cream: pour the mascarpone 4, condensed milk 5, and fresh cream 6 into a large bowl.

Whip with electric beaters 7 until you get a smooth and frothy cream 8. Now, focus on the second cream: in a bowl, combine the mascarpone and hazelnut spread 9.

Mix with a spatula 10 to obtain a smooth cream 11. Whip the fresh cream in a separate bowl 12.

Incorporate the whipped cream into the hazelnut cream 13 by gently folding from bottom to top until you achieve a homogeneous cream 14. Transfer the creams into two pastry bags with a plain 12-14 mm tip. You are ready to assemble the dessert: take the panettone and, starting from the base, cut out two slices about 1.5 inches thick 15.

Try to get evenly thick slices 16. Place the first slice on a serving plate and soak it with the cold soak, using a brush 17. Now squeeze dollops of white cream over the entire surface 18.

Add a spiral of hazelnut spread on top, using another pastry bag without a tip 19, then cover with the second panettone slice. Also soak this with some of the soak 21.

Decorate the cake with dollops of mascarpone and hazelnut cream 22, then dust with bitter cocoa 23 and garnish with pieces of gold leaf 34. Let your panettone cake rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving!

Storage

The panettone cake can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of a couple of days.

Freezing is not recommended.

Tip

If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, omit the liqueur from the soak and infuse the syrup with orange peels.

The condensed milk can be replaced with powdered sugar.

Instead of hazelnut spread, you can use pistachio spread; for a less sweet version, you can opt for hazelnut paste or peanut butter.

Prefer a fruity version? Only make the white cream and fill the layers with strawberries or red fruits!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.