I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the first full holiday season in my new kitchen and have been baking all the yummy things. I love baking all of our favourites and trying some new recipes too. This Traditional Christmas Kugelhopf will be your new holiday family favourite! It’s a light and buttery coffee-style cake that’s somewhere between a brioche and a bundt cake. I’ve put my own spin on it by adding orange zest and Triple Sec Liqueur and a dusting of powdered sugar is reminiscent of fresh fallen snow. It takes a bit of patience with the rising time, but it’s 100% worth it I promise! The aroma smells like home and Christmas.

Traditional Christmas Kugelhopf

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 4

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French, German

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream heated to lukewarm
2¼ tsp active dry yeast one package
½ cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter room temperature, cut into pieces
5 egg yolks large, room temperature
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 orange zested small
¾ cup raisins and golden raisins
1 tbsp Triple Sec Liqueur
⅓ cup sliced almonds

Method

Butter an 8.5 inch Kugelhopf pan. Sprinkle some of the almonds into each section of the bottom of the mold.
In a small bowl, combine raisins and Triple Sec and stir to combine. Allow the raisins to soak for at least an hour or more.
Next, place the lukewarm cream in a small bowl and stir in yeast along with one tablespoon of the sugar. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes until frothy.
In a stand mixer cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add orange zest and vanilla and beat until combined. Add egg yolk and beat well.
Add half of the flour and yeast mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining half of flour and yeast mixture, mixing until combined and continue beating for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides if needed.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise for up to two hours or until doubled in size.
Press or roll out onto clean, non-stick surface into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with raisins and almonds.
Roll it up tightly from the widest side.
Bring both ends together to make a circle, pressing the ends together and place into the pan. Press down gently.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put into a warm place to rise for about another hour or until the dough has risen to just about the top of the mold or barely above.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Have the cake sit for 10 minutes in the pan and then invert onto a wire rack to cool.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Shop this kugelhopf pan if you don’t have one. This Traditional Christmas Kugelhopf will make your home smell heavenly!! It’s gonna be hard but be sure to let it cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

I love how the powdered sugar reminds me of fresh fallen snow and gives this cake an extra festive feel perfect for the holidays or during winter.

I recommend serving this Kugelhopf on a vintage ceramic plate, cake stand or a silver tray. If you have them, some pretty holiday dessert plates would look so festive too.

Dust each serving with more powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy anytime with a warm beverage and your favourite people! This Traditional Christmas Kugelhopf can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or for coffee time or dessert. It’s a very versatile cake that’s not too sweet but feels very special.

As this will be my last post of the holiday season and 2024, I want to thank you for another year of visiting the blog and my IG page. I love connecting with you here and sharing my inspiration with you all so much. In case you missed it, be sure to check out my Warm and Elegant Christmas

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a happy and healthy 2025!