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    Home » Recipes » Italian Desserts

    Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake (Italian Christmas Cake)

    Published: Dec 10, 2019, Last updated: Nov 4, 2020 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A beautiful Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake made with Pistachios and White Chocolate. This festive Christmas tree shaped cake is a super fun and impressive Italian dessert yet it won't take you longer than 15 minutes to make! Spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating the festive season!

    A pandoro christmas tree cake topped with fairy lights in the background

    *This post contains affiliate links (paid links), see here for more information.

    Pandoro (golden bread) is a super soft and light, vanilla-scented Italian Christmas cake similar to panettone.

    It's absolutely delicious and the perfect treat for the festive season especially because of its Christmas tree shape. 

    You can make it yourself using a pandoro cake tin* but I love to buy them at the supermarket and turn them into a festive show stopper which is so much more fun and really quick.

    I mean, how impressive is this cake and it takes no longer than 15 minutes to make!

    Ingredients - what you need

    Other than a pandoro cake you'll need a few simple and easy ingredients to make this Christmas tree cake;

    • Mascarpone - use full-fat mascarpone.
    • Powdered sugar (icing sugar) - I don't use much because the pandoro itself is very sweet but you can easily add more or less to your liking.
    • Liqueur - my original recipe used vin santo (a sweet Italian wine) but it can be hard to find out of Italy so you can use marsala or any liqueur of choice.
    • White chocolate - good quality finely chopped (to speed things up you could use white chocolate chips)
    • Pistachios - make sure they're unsalted
    • Red currants - these are super delicious but if you can't find them you can use pomegranate instead.
    An overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make a christmas tree cake

    How to make Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake - step by step

    First, add the mascarpone to a bowl and add the liqueur and powdered sugar (photos 1 & 2).

    Beat the mixture with an electric mixer until combined (photos 3 & 4).

    Step by step photos for making a pandoro cake filling

    Next, add the chopped white chocolate and pistachios and mix together with the mascarpone mixture (photos 5 - 7).

    Cut the pandoro cake four times to create five sections (see photos 8 & 9).

    Spread each section with the mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with a few red currants. Lay each slice of pandoro back on top of each other as you go so the points don't match to resemble a Christmas tree (photos 10 -12).

    Decorate the rest of the cake with a few more red currants and pistachios and sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve! (photo 13).

    Step by step photos for making a pandoro christmas tree cake

    Other liqueurs you can use

    Since Vin Santo can be hard to find I often use Marsala or another sweet liqueur, here are some of my favourites;

    • Marsala
    • Cointreau
    • Baileys
    • Chocolate liqueur
    • Limoncello
    • Frangelico

    Making it in advance

    Because this Christmas tree cake is super quick to make and maybe a bit too big to fit in the fridge I make it the day I'm serving it.

    If you want to prep in advance then you can make the mascarpone filling and even cut the cake and wrap it back up until you are ready to serve.

    Then all you need to do is fill each layer last minute and make the final touches.

    A close up of a pandoro christmas tree cake with fairy lights in the background

    Top tips and recipe FAQs

    • Use a serrated bread knife to cut the cake into sections
    • Pistachios give a fun festive green colour to the cake but you can swap them for other nuts if you prefer.
    • You can also swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate.
    • If you're freezing leftover cake then make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
    • You can follow this recipe with panettone instead (it'll be delicious) but you won't get the same Christmas tree effect.
    • Pomegranate can be used instead of red currants.
    How long does this cake last?

    The cake will last around 1 day out of the fridge.  Leftovers or the whole cake (if there is space) will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge or can be frozen wrapped in plastic wrap (cling film), foil and in suitable containers.

    A close up of a pandoro christmas tree cake with a slice missing

    More Italian Desserts You Might Like;

    • White Chocolate Panna Cotta
    • Lady’s Kisses – Baci di Dama (Italian Cookies)
    • Panettone Bread Pudding
    • Italian Affogato Recipe – Ice Cream And Coffee
    • Quick & Easy Tiramisu – Best Ever Recipe
    • Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)

    If you try this Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake be sure to let me know how you got on in the comments below. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.

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    5 from 7 votes

    Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake (Italian Christmas Cake)

    A beautiful Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake made with Pistachios and White Chocolate. This festive Christmas tree shaped cake is a super fun and impressive Italian dessert yet it won't take you longer than 15 minutes to make! Spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating the festive season!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 464kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 1 large Pandoro cake
    • 2 cups Mascarpone (17.5 oz/500g)
    • 1 fl oz Vin Santo or liqueur of choice (30ml)
    • ½ cup powdered sugar (icing sugar) plus 1 tablespoon for dusting (70g)
    • ¼ cup pistachios plus a few extra to decorate (25g)
    • ½ cup white chocolate finely chopped (50g)
    • ½ cup Red currants or pomegranate plus extra for decoration (3.5 oz/100g)

    Instructions

    • Put the mascarpone in a large mixing bowl with the vin santo and powdered sugar and whisk together for 1 minute. Add the chopped white chocolate and pistachios and stir through, set aside.
    • Cut the pandoro in five slices from bottom to top. Spread each layer evenly with the mascarpone mixture making sure to scatter a few red currents on each layer.
    • Lay each slice of pandoro on top of each other so the points don't match to resemble a Christmas tree as you are layering the mascarpone mixture.
    • Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and some more red currents and pistachios.

    Notes

    • Use a serrated bread knife to cut the cake into sections
    • Pistachios give a fun festive green colour to the cake but you can swap them for other nuts if you prefer.
    • You can also swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate.
    • If you're freezing leftover cake then make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
    • You can follow this recipe with panettone instead (it'll be delicious) but you won't get the same Christmas tree effect.
    • Pomegranate can be used instead of red currants.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 532IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rose cahill

      January 23, 2021 at 4:21 am

      I bought many in the past and was perfect and used it by slicing it sprinkled power sugar
      And some with whipped cream and once toasted it spread Nutella
      Everyone was delicious want to do Xmas tree next thanks can’t wait

      Reply
    2. Sophie Goel

      December 11, 2019 at 12:04 am

      Absolutely gorgeous!! I can't wait introduce a new holiday dessert to my family!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Anita

      December 10, 2019 at 11:27 pm

      This is simply the most stunning Christmas cake ever. Perfect as centerpiece. Now I need to buy a Pandoro cake to make this too. 🙂5 stars

      Reply
    4. Haley D. Williams

      December 10, 2019 at 10:19 pm

      Wow this is spectacular! Definitely a ccenter piece for a holiday party5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 10, 2019 at 10:37 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    5. Liz

      December 10, 2019 at 10:18 pm

      This is so cute and festive!! I was looking for a dessert to bring to a chritmas party and this recipe is perfect!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 10, 2019 at 10:38 pm

        Hope you enjoy it, it's perfect for parties!

        Reply
    6. Jen

      December 10, 2019 at 9:54 pm

      This is stunning! I know it’ll be a hit at our party this weekend. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 10, 2019 at 9:55 pm

        Aw thanks so much, really hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    7. Angela

      September 07, 2017 at 6:19 pm

      Wow this looks so delicious! What a delightful addition the the festive table! Hope mine looks as good as yours!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 08, 2017 at 1:20 pm

        I'm sure it will, thanks so much!

        Reply
    8. Mackenzie @ Food Above Gold

      December 01, 2016 at 1:00 am

      You certainly achieved the WOW factor with this cake. The icing between the layers sounds perfectly light to match the fluffy cake, and the presentation is absolutely gorgeous! Makes me ready for Christmas!

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 01, 2016 at 1:00 pm

        Aw thank you so much Mackenzie, I'm definitely feeling very festive now!

        Reply
    9. Stefania

      November 30, 2016 at 11:49 pm

      I tasted it!!! It has been difficult to stop after the first slice... I could have eaten the whole thing... DELICIOUS!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 01, 2016 at 1:00 pm

        Haha thank you so much Stefania! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect

      November 30, 2016 at 11:37 pm

      This is fabulous, I've had something similar when an Italian friend served us a pandoro like this with ricotta and dark chocolate. This looks so tasty and a great tip about adding the redcurrants at a later date, I wouldn't have thought of that and the white is striking.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 01, 2016 at 1:01 pm

        Ooh that sounds delicious, thank you so much!

        Reply
    11. Veena Azmanov

      November 30, 2016 at 11:11 pm

      That look so pretty and I love how simple it is to make. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        December 01, 2016 at 1:02 pm

        No problem, thank you Veena!

        Reply
    12. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours

      November 30, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Fantastic looking sweet; would impress even the most fussy of our festive visitors. The pistachio's are a lovely touch.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        November 30, 2016 at 9:25 pm

        Thanks so much Helen, it's so easy too!

        Reply

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