Best 5 Jule Kake Norwegian Christmas Bread Recipes

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**Julekake: A Taste of Norwegian Christmas**

Julekake, also known as Norwegian Christmas bread, is a beloved holiday tradition that fills homes with the sweet aroma of cardamom and citrus. This enriched bread is a culinary centerpiece of the Norwegian Christmas table, enjoyed by families and friends as they gather to celebrate the festive season. Discover the secrets behind this iconic bread with our collection of carefully curated recipes, ranging from the classic Julekake with its rich, buttery dough to creative variations that add a modern twist to this time-honored tradition. Indulge in the flavors of Norway this Christmas with our comprehensive guide to Julekake, ensuring a delicious and authentic holiday experience.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

JULE KAKA



Jule Kaka image

This is a Swedish Christmas Bread with candied fruits and a yummy cardamom flavor.

Provided by Janice

Categories     Bread     Yeast Bread Recipes

Time 6h

Yield 48

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 cups scalded milk
1 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup white sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
½ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
8 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
½ cup candied cherries, sliced
½ cup chopped candied citron
1 cup golden raisins
1 egg white, beaten

Steps:

  • Dissolve yeast in water.
  • Scald milk, and add melted butter or margarine, salt, sugar. When lukewarm add to yeast and water. Stir in 4 cups flour. Cover, and place in a warm place. Let rise for about 2 hours, or till doubled in bulk.
  • Punch down. Stir in cardamom, cherries, raisins and citron. Work in remaining flour until soft dough forms. Let rise in warm place for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled.
  • Knead slightly, and form into 4 round loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise for 1 to 2 hours, or till doubled. Brush loaves with beaten egg white.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 158.6 calories, Carbohydrate 27.2 g, Cholesterol 11 mg, Fat 4.3 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 138.9 mg, Sugar 7.4 g

JULE KAKE NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD



Jule Kake Norwegian Christmas Bread image

Provided by Food Network

Time 5h40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

5 cups bread flour, plus additional for dusting
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) salted butter, diced
2 ounces fresh yeast
3 large eggs
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups candied citron or other candied fruit

Steps:

  • Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom and salt in the mixer bowl. Combine the milk, butter, yeast and 2 eggs in another bowl, then incorporate into the dry ingredients with the mixer at low speed, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is sticky but will not stick to your hand, about 12 minutes.
  • Add raisins and citron on slow speed to incorporate, about 1 minute (do not overmix).
  • Let the dough relax in the mixing bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
  • Mix to knock down, then remove to a flour-dusted table.
  • Divide into four pieces and let rest, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Form dough into desired shapes, such as round loaves. Beat remaining egg and paint dough with egg wash. Transfer dough to a pan. Let rise again, covered, until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Paint again with egg wash. Bake until the loaves are deeply brown and sound hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Let fully cool.

YULEKAKE - NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD



Yulekake - Norwegian Christmas Bread image

This recipe has been in my husband's Norweigan side of the family for generations. It was passed on from his great grandmother to his grandmother and so on. I noticed two recipes already posted in Recipezaar (julekake), but this one is prepared a bit different. It's a very dry fruit bread. Definitely used for dunking in your coffee or slathered with butter. I am not a big fan of it, but I make it at Christmastime for my husband as he adores it.

Provided by Lulu 280529

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time 4h30m

Yield 2 loaves, 24-30 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (1 3/4 ounce) jar ground cardamom (fine powder, use 1/4 of the jar for this 2-loaf recipe)
1 cup chopped citron
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups regular raisins
5 cups boiling water (approximately)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages each dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups scalded 2% low-fat milk or 2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
8 cups flour
1 beaten egg, used to brush on top loaves before baking
2 tablespoons melted butter, to brush on top loaves after baking is complete

Steps:

  • in a heatproof bowl, put all raisins together and cover with approximately 5 cups of boiling water to soften. set aside.
  • mix the 2 packages of dry yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water. mix well and let sit.
  • boil 2 cups of milk until scalded. turn down heat to medium and add the 3/4 cup of butter until melted. remove from heat and set aside.
  • in a large bowl measure 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 of the container of cardamom. mix well.
  • add the two beaten eggs to the dry mixture. then add the milk/butter mixture. gradually add 6 of the 8 cups of flour and the dissolved yeast.
  • drain the raisins. add the raisins and citron to the mix. now add the remaining 2 cups of flour.
  • time to knead the bread! i use my heavy-duty mixer as it is easier on my hands and back. if manual knead, place dough on floured breadboard and knead completely.
  • once the bread is kneaded, place into a large pre-floured bowl and cover with a dish towel or cloth allowing it to rise for 1 hour.
  • after the dough has risen, cut it into two loaves. place each into a pre-greased, pre-floured baking loaf pan.
  • again, cover each loaf pan and allow to rise for another hour.
  • before placing the loaves into a pre-heated 300 degree oven, cut the top of each loaf with an X design, or a fancy cut design of your choice, and brush with 1 beaten egg.
  • bake the loaves for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. increase the heat to 325 degrees for the next 30-45 minutes (test after 30 minutes with a toothpick for doneness - make take longer, make take less depending on your oven temperature).
  • remove the loaves from the oven and brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
  • let loaves cool completely before removing from pans.
  • note: if you choose to omit the citron, which i do often, use 2 cups each of the golden and regular raisins instead.

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD



Norwegian Christmas Bread image

When my husband became a minister for a church in an area populated with Norwegians, my father-in-law was delighted because I had easy access to recipes he enjoyed as a child. This is a traditional Christmas bread, but I make it for any holiday we get together. -Deborah Petersen, Princeton, New Jersey

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 2 loaves.

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3-3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup diced citron or mixed candied fruit

Steps:

  • In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, egg, butter, salt, cardamom and 2 cups flour; mix well. Stir in raisins, citron and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to greased top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; divide in half. Shape each portion into a flattened ball. Place in two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts :

JULEKAKE - NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD



Julekake - Norwegian Christmas Bread image

Christmas for people of Norwegian descent wouldn't be Christmas without sweet gjetost, havarti cheese, smoked fish and flatbrød accompanied by glögg; lefse and limpa bread or julekake, with butter, sugar, fresh lingonberry sauce and cloudberries and some combination of cookies like fattigman bakelse, krumkake, sandbakkels, rosettes, berlinerkranser. From the Minnesota Scandinavian chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947.

Provided by Molly53

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time 4h

Yield 3 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 compressed yeast cakes, softened in
1/4 cup water, lukewarm
1 pint milk
1 cup lard or 1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
7 cups flour (more as needed)
1/2 lb raisins or 1/2 lb sultana
4 ounces citron, sliced
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons milk or 3 tablespoons water

Steps:

  • For the glaze: mix ingredients together and brush over bread before baking.
  • Soften yeast in water; add milk.
  • Blend in 3 cups of flour and beat until smooth.
  • Cream the shortening, sugar and salt toether; add to this the beaten eggs and cardamom.
  • Add to batter along with remaining flour.
  • Knead until smooth, adding more flour as necessary.
  • Dust fruit with a little flour and add to dough.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled; punch down and let rise again until doubled.
  • Divide dough into three portions and shape into loaves.
  • Place in greased bread pans and dust lightly with flour.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled.
  • Lightly brush tops of loaves with glaze.
  • Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden and done.
  • Remove from oven, cool briefly in pan, then turn out onto cooling rack.

Tips:

  • Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your julekake.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the julekake tough.
  • Let the julekake cool completely before frosting it. This will help the frosting to set properly.
  • If you don't have time to make the frosting, you can simply sprinkle the julekake with powdered sugar.
  • Julekake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Conclusion:

Julekake is a delicious and festive bread that is perfect for the Christmas season. It is easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are looking for a traditional Norwegian Christmas treat or simply a delicious bread to enjoy with your family and friends, julekake is a great option.

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