Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake
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.
Servings: 10
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
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).
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
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1037IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg
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