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Pandoro is a traditional Italian cake that’s popular at Christmas. It’s known for its airy, light texture and tall, star-shaped design. It’s usually sprinkled with powdered sugar to resemble snow but in this pandoro Christmas tree cake recipe, the cake is frosted with a limoncello mascarpone and whipped cream mixture in between the layers and then decorated with pomegranate seeds and pistachios to resemble Christmas tree decorations. This festive no bake Christmas tree-shaped cake is impressive but oh-so-easy to make in less than 30 minutes!
Ideal for the festive season, this adorable pandoro Christmas tree cake is light and airy with creamy frosting and tasty pistachios, limoncello and pomegranate seeds.
Love festive baking? You might also like Christmas marshmallow pops, cranberry tartlets, and panettone (another popular Italian Christmas bread).
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: You’re starting off with a readymade pandoro cake to keep the recipe super-simple.
Looks adorable: The cake, with its frosting, fruit and nuts, looks so cute and festive.
Tweak-able: You can swap out the limoncello, pistachios and pomegranate seeds for other ingredients, using whatever suits you best.
Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pandoro cake: Unless you have an Italian bakery or well-stocked grocery store nearby, it’s probably easiest to order a good quality pandoro cake online (I used this one!) You can even make your own.
Mascarpone cheese: Chill this creamy cheese before starting the recipe.
Heavy cream: To make the mascarpone mixture rich and creamy.
Sugar: For sweetness.
Limoncello: Use store-bought limoncello or make your own homemade limoncello!
Lemon zest: For a citrusy tang.
Pistachios: Buying shelled ones saves time.
Pomegranate seeds: To add pops of color that resemble Christmas tree baubles.
Powdered sugar: Also known as icing sugar and confectioners sugar. For dusting (and to resemble snow!)
How to Make a No Bake Pandoro Christmas Cake
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Cut the pandoro cake: Trim the bottom of the cake with a long, serrated bread knife and then cut the cake horizontally into slices so you end up with 5 thick slices.
Make the mascarpone mixture: Beat the heavy cream with sugar in a large mixing bowl for several minutes. Add the mascarpone, limoncello and lemon zest and beat again.
Assemble the Christmas tree cake: Put it together on a serving platter. Spread some of the mascarpone mixture over the base layer of the cake and sprinkle on some nuts. Add the next layer and repeat. When you get to the top layer, add the mascarpone mixture to a piping bag and pipe the remainder on top of the cake and at several places around the cake.
The finishing touches: Add the rest of the pistachios and the pomegranate seeds to decorate your Italian Christmas cake and then sprinkle powdered sugar all over it. Chill for an hour before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pandoro.
Limoncello: For an alcohol-free version, use lemon juice instead. Another option would be orange juice and orange zest in place of the limoncello and lemon zest.
Pistachios: Use a different kind of nut if you want (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds would work). Or you could make your own candied pecans.
Pomegranate seeds: Any kind of berries or dried fruits would work, to add color and a fruity flavor and to resemble Christmas tree decorations.
Decorative additions: Add crushed candy canes, fresh mint leaves, fresh fruit or candied fruit, or star shape candies.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Start your festive meal with a Christmas tree charcuterie board or burrata-stuffed tomatoes.
The main course: Next up, how about smoked turkey breast with orange-glazed sweet potatoes and garlic green beans?
Desserts: Now is the time to serve up your pandoro Christmas tree cake, perhaps with other festive favorites like nut brittle or church window cookies.
How to Store This Italian Christmas Cake
Store: Cut the cake into slices and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the cake for up to 2 months (in slices).
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Please note the cake won’t look so “pretty” after thawing (but should taste the same).
Top Tips
Trim the cake: The bottom of a pandoro cake isn’t very attractive. Trimming it first will give you a solid base for cutting and provide a beautiful presentation. Save the bottom piece for a tasty treat or snack for the kids.
Slicing the pandoro cake: Use a gentle sawing motion when slicing through the cake, and make each cut at eye level, if you can, to keep the knife straight. If tipping the cake on its side is your preferred method, it will work, but make sure to keep the cutting motion gentle and slow to double-check that the layer you are cutting is as even as possible.
Cutting into portions: The first slices can be the top 2 layers (you’ll get 4 slices) and that leaves 3 layers on the bottom to be sliced (another 6 slices).
Christmas Tree Pandoro Cake FAQs
Pandoro is a traditional Italian Christmas cake known for its tall, star-shaped design and light, airy texture. This dessert is typically accented with powdered sugar to resemble snow.
World Market sells them in the baking/Italian section of their store. You can also find this cake on Amazon.
Are you thinking of using a different type of nut or keeping it nut-free? You can use chopped pecans or walnuts for this cake or, if you prefer, omit the nuts to make it nut-free.
Sure! Why not use some candied cherries, blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries? Or, if they are in season, use dark cherries as decoration. I found pomegranate seeds at Sprouts Market.
Christmas Tree Shaped Pandoro Cake Recipe
Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake
Ingredients
- 1 pandoro cake
- 16 Ounces mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- ½ Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Teaspoon limoncello
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 Cup pistachios, chopped
- pomegranate seeds, for decorating
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Trim and cut the pandoro cake:
- Using a long serrated bread knife, trim the bottom of the pandoro cake as evenly as possible.
- Cut the pandoro horizontally into thick slices at least 1 inch thick. The goal is to create five horizontal pieces (making four horizontal cuts). Set these aside.
Make the mascarpone frosting:
- Add the heavy cream and sugar to a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer or heavy-duty mixing bowl.
- Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer (or beaters of a hand mixer), beat until the cream has thickened and ribbons have formed, for 3 or 4 minutes at medium to high speed.
- Add the mascarpone cheese, limoncello, and zest and mix until combined, for about 3 minutes. This makes about 28 ounces of frosting/filling.
Assemble the Christmas tree cake:
- Place the first bottom piece of the pandoro cake on a flat serving plate and spread 2 or 3 ounces of the mascarpone cream on it, starting in the center and spreading out over the cake points. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios.
- When adding the next layer, spread about a tablespoon of mascarpone filling on the bottom of that piece, then gently press on the base piece but offset so the points of the cake show in a staggered layer.
- This is where you get to let your creativity shine! Add the remaining mascarpone cream filling to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip for the final cake design. Add piped cream filling on the top, some on the open points of the cake, around the base, or wherever you’d like to add it! Keep any leftover frosting to serve on the side.
- Garnish with remaining pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Dust the entire cake with powdered sugar.
- Chill for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Slicing the pandoro cake: Use a gentle sawing motion when slicing through the cake, and make each cut at eye level, if you can, to keep the knife straight. If tipping the cake on its side is your preferred method, it will work, but make sure to keep the cutting motion gentle and slow to double-check that the layer you are cutting is as even as possible.
Cutting into portions: The first slices can be the top 2 layers (you’ll get 4 slices) and that leaves 3 layers on the bottom to be sliced (another 6 slices).
Nutrition
This golden bread cake is perfect to ensure a merry Christmas! You slice a premade pandoro horizontally and then stack it to make a Christmas tree shape with a mascarpone, limoncello and whipped cream mixture in between each layer. Next up you add fruit, nuts and powdered sugar for that Xmas tree effect. It’s such a delicious sweet treat for the festive season (and remember – the chef deserves the largest slice!)
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.