Best 8 Yulekake Norwegian Christmas Bread Recipes

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Yulekake, also affectionately called Julekake, is a beloved Norwegian sweet bread that holds a special place in the hearts of Norwegians during the Christmas season. This delectable bread is traditionally prepared with a rich dough, aromatic spices, and a generous filling of candied fruits, raisins, and citrus zest. The result is a beautifully golden loaf, adorned with a sprinkling of pearl sugar, that fills the air with an enticing aroma and evokes the warmth and joy of Christmas gatherings. This article presents a collection of carefully curated Yulekake recipes that cater to various dietary preferences and skill levels, ensuring that everyone can enjoy this Norwegian Christmas tradition. From a classic Yulekake recipe that stays true to its traditional roots to a gluten-free and vegan variation, these recipes provide step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to guide you in creating this delectable treat. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this article has a Yulekake recipe that will delight your taste buds and bring the spirit of Christmas to your table.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

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.

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD (JULEKAKE)



Norwegian Christmas Bread (Julekake) image

Julekake, a Norwegian Christmas bread, is a holiday favorite that's easy to make at home.

Provided by Carroll Pellegrinelli

Categories     Bread

Time 3h25m

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup water
2 packages rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup margarine (or butter)
2 cups milk, plus more for brushing loaves
8 cups flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 cups mixed candied fruit​

Steps:

  • Gather the ingredients.
  • In a large bowl, mix the yeast with warm water to dissolve. In a saucepan, gently heat the margarine or butter with the milk until the margarine melts.
  • In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt, and ground cardamom.
  • Add the yeast and margarine mixture, and combine with an electric mixer. Beat until the batter falls in sheets from beaters.
  • Stir in the candied fruit and gradually add the remaining flour.
  • Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 F) until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
  • Punch down the dough and place on a pastry board.
  • Shape into 2 loaves and place each in a greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
  • Brush the tops of loaves with milk.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 to 50 minutes.
  • Bake at 375 F for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 368 kcal, Carbohydrate 73 g, Cholesterol 2 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 6 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 225 mg, Sugar 29 g, Fat 6 g, ServingSize One loaf, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

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

JULEKAKE - CHRISTMAS BREAD



Julekake - Christmas Bread image

This recipe was marked with a big, red X so I am assuming this was the recipe that my grandmother used every Christmas. It came from a book called Norwegian Recipes, copyright 1947! I have not personally made this, but I ate plenty of it when I was a kid. Will start the tradition this year! It calls for letting dough sit out overnight in a warm place. I might mix early in the morning and then finish it by bedtime.

Provided by KCShell

Categories     Yeast Breads

Time 10h20m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 lb butter
7 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 packages dried yeast (I use Fleishmann's)
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped citron

Steps:

  • Heat milk with sugar and butter.
  • Let milk mixture cool.
  • Mix together flour and cardamom and dried yeast.
  • Add flour mixture to milk mixture.
  • Mix well.
  • Cover dough with a clean cloth, let stand in a warm place overnight.
  • In the morning, work raisins and chopped citron into the dough.
  • Form into loaves.
  • Let rise until doubled in bulk.
  • Bake at 350*.
  • 45 minutes or until done.

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.

JULEKAKE (NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS CAKE)



JULEKAKE (NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS CAKE) image

Categories     Bread     Christmas

Yield 3 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup margarine
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cardamom
2 cakes yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 beaten eggs
4 cups flour
1 cup light raisins
1 cup dark raisins
2 8-oz packages S&W candied mixed fruit (also called glace cake mix)
4 cups additional flour

Steps:

  • Pour hot water over the raisins and let them sit to soften. Combine scalded milk, margarine, sugar, salt and cardamom. Cool to lukewarm if milk is still hot from scalding. Soften the yeast in the 1/4 cup lukewarm water, and add to milk mixture. Add eggs and mix well. Add 4 cups flour and beat well. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until bubbly. Add mixed fruit, raisins and the rest of the flour and knead on a lightly floured work surface. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Divide into 3 parts, and make 3 round loaves or put into three bread pans. Let rise again until doubled. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees. Brush tops with melted butter while hot. To store, wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Will keep for one week.

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 :

Tips:

  • Use fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor and texture.
  • Make sure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature before baking the bread.
  • Do not overmix the batter, as this can result in a tough bread.
  • Bake the bread until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.
  • Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Conclusion:

Yulekake is a delicious and festive bread that is perfect for enjoying during the Christmas season. With its sweet, cardamom-flavored dough and creamy filling, it is sure to be a hit with family and friends. So next time you are looking for a special holiday treat, give this Norwegian Christmas bread a try. You won't be disappointed!

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