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    Home » European Vegetarian Desserts

    Published: Nov, 2018. Updated: Dec, 2022 by Iryna Bychkiv | This post may contain affiliate links. Read more here

    German Christmas Cake (Stollen Recipe)

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    Christmas is right around the corner and it's about time to bake traditional German Christmas Cake - Stollen. Packed with a delicious mixture of dried and candied fruits, almonds and marzipan, this decadent cake is a true Christmas treat.

    This post is packed with useful information as well as step-by-step tutorial, so keep on reading my friend:)

    German Christmas Cake

    Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

    How was your Thanksgiving my friend?

    Good?

    I hope it was filled with family, friends, laughter and of course delicious food.

    Now, that Thanksgiving is officially over, it's time to think about Christmas menu. In particularly, about Christmas desserts.

    As known, one of the best Christmas desserts come from Europe.

    In Germany - Christmas dinner is not complete without a traditional German Cake called Stollen. It is originated in Dresden and is an absolute must for Christmas holidays.

    Stollen

    What's so special about Stollen?

    German Christmas Stollen or Weihnachtsstollen is generously sprinkled with powdered sugar and represents baby Jesus wrapped up in a blanket.

    Stollen is literally packed with dried fruits, candied fruits, nuts and marzipan. It doesn't require any special cake pan and is easier to make than you think.

    Another special thing about Christmas Stollen is that it is usually prepared 2-3 weeks before Christmas. That way all dried fruits will saturate the cake giving it even more unique flavor.

    Did I mention it's not too tricky to make it?

    I was actually prepared for the opposite and reserved the full day just to make this German Stollen Bread.

    In the middle of the process, I realised that cake is almost ready and I wasn't even tired yet:)

    Despite that Stollen is an easy dessert, don't expect it to be ready in 30 minutes. Sorry:)

    Since we're adding yeast to the dough, it will take some time until the dough rises. You'll have to leave the dough to rise several times during the process.

    So while it may take long to make Stollen, you're not going to be involved the whole time.

    Let's take a closer look.

    How To Make Stollen?

    1. Macerate the raisins

    The night before making this delicious German Stollen, start macerating the raisins. In a small bowl combine raising and rum. Let it stay overnight or at least 4 hours.

    2. Proof the yeast

    The next day, in a small bowl combine warmed to 115 F milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar and active dry yeast. Leave it to rise, about 15 minutes. I love using food thermometer to ensure the proper temperature.


    3. Prepare the dough

    Using an electric mixer fitted with a hook, mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, butter, yeast and eggs on a medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic.
    Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm place for 40-60 minutes until the dough doubles in size.

    4. Chop dried fruits and nuts

    Meanwhile, finely chop the almonds (if using whole almonds) and candied fruit.

    5. Combine all ingredients

    When the dough doubles in size, in the same bowl knead it with your hands for a few more minutes.

    Then add raisins, almonds, candied fruit, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and cinnamon.

    Knead the dough again until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough is elastic. Cover with a towel again and leave it in a warm place to rise for 2.5 - 3 hours. During this time, knead the dough 1-2 more times.

    6. Add marzipan

    Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.

    Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece into 9 by 10 inch rectangle-like disc.

    Divide marzipan in 2 and roll out each piece into a 9 inch long log. Using a rolling pin, make the indentation in he dough lengthwise, slightly off-center (like shown on the picture below).

    Place marzipan log in the indentation and cover marzipan with the wider side of the dough.


    Repeat with the other piece of dough and transfer Stollen on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.

    7. Bake 

    Bake Stollen for 15 minutes in a preheated to 390 F oven, then reduce the temperature to 335 F and bake for another 45 minutes. (Don't open the oven door during this time).

    When Stollen is ready, remove it from the oven and very generously coat with melted better from all sides even from the bottom.
    Very generously sprinkle Stollen with icing sugar and let it cool.

    And that's it. You made it! Congratulations!

    Stollen Storage

    You have a few options on how to properly store Stollen.

    1. Tightly wrap Stollen in plastic, then in aluminum foil, place in a zipper freezer-friendly bag and store in a cool dry place for 2-3 weeks, preferably basement.

    2. If you can't wait until Christmas (I don't blame you, it's so delicious), you can wrap Stollen in plastic and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    3. You can also freeze this German Stollen Bread for up to 2-3 months. Don't forget to warp it tightly in a plastic wrap.

    When ready to serve Stollen, thaw in the fridge overnight or defrost in a microwave and enjoy the richness and taste of an incredible Christmas treat.

    Can I substitute Almond Paste for Marzipan?

    In this Stollen recipe, you can absolutely substitute one for another. These 2 ingredients are practically the same.

    The only difference is that Almond Paste contains less sugar and more almonds and Marzipan contains more sugar and less almonds.

    This is a brand of Marzipan and Almond Paste that I use all the time in my baking recipes.

    Stollen recipe

    I hope you'll love this traditional and beautiful German Christmas Stollen.

    Friends, if you like this recipe, please take a second to PIN IT! I would greatly appreciate this!

    More European Christmas Desserts

     Risalamande - utterly delicious and airy Danish Christmas Rice Pudding

     Dutch Christmas Log - super easy puff pastry recipe with almond paste

     Joulutorttu - Finnish Christmas cookies with prune jam

     Viennese Cookies - beautiful, 5-ingredient cookie recipe perfect for Christmas gift exchange

    If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Christmas Stollen web-story.

    If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

    Recipe

    Stollen on a wire rack

    Stollen Recipe

    The most amazing German Christmas cake with dried and candied fruits, nuts and Marzipan. So flavorful and delicious! Perfect addition to your Christmas dessert menu.
    4.77 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Prep Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 loaves
    Calories: 428kcal
    Author: Iryna Bychkiv
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    Ingredients

    Click on the highlighted link to purchase the ingredients

    • 9 oz mixed raisins
    • 2 handfuls mixed candied fruit (such as pineapple, mango, papaya)
    • 7 oz almonds chopped
    • 7 oz Marzipan* See the notes
    • 2 oz rum
    • 14 grams active dry yeast
    • 4 oz sugar
    • ⅞ c milk
    • 3 c + 2 tbsp flour sifted
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 sticks + 1 tbsp butter (at room temperature) + a few tablespoons more for coating baked Stollen
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 lemon juiced and zested
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
    • 4 tablespoon icing sugar for dusting for dusting Stollen* (See the notes)

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl combine raising and rum. Let it stay overnight or at least 4 hours.
    • In a small bowl combine warmed to 115 F milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar and yeast. Leave it to rise, about 15 minutes.
    • Using an electric mixer fitted with a hook, mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, butter, yeast and eggs on a medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic.
    • Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm place for 40-60 minutes until the dough doubles in size.
    • Meanwhile, finely chop the almonds (if using whole almonds) and candied fruit.
    • When the dough doubles in size, in the same bowl knead it for a few minutes. Then add raisins, almonds, candied fruit, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and cinnamon. Knead the dough again until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough is elastic. Cover with a towel again and leave in a warm place to rise for 2.5 - 3 hours. During this time, knead the dough 1-2 more times.
    • Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.
    • Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece into 9 by 10 inch rectangle-like disc.
    • Divide marzipan in 2 and roll out each piece into a 9 inch long log.
    • Using a rolling pin, make the indentation in the dough lengthwise, slightly off-center.
    • Place marzipan log in the indentation and cover marzipan with the wider side of the dough.
    • Repeat with the other piece of dough and transfer Stollen on a parchment lined baking sheet and leave it in room temperature for 30 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 390 F.
    • Bake Stollen for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 335 F and bake for another 45 minutes. (Don't open the oven door during this time).
    • When Stollen is ready, remove it from the oven and very generously coat with melted better from all sides even from the bottom.
    • Very generously sprinkle Stollen with icing sugar and let it cool.
    • Tightly wrap in plastic, then foil, place in a zipper bag and store in a cool dry place for 2-3 weeks.

    Notes

    Icing Sugar
    4 tablespoon are the approximate amount. You might need more than that. The goal is for Stollen to be covered generously with sugar. It will serve as a protector to keep Stollen moist inside for a long period of time.
    Marzipan
    You can also use almond paste in place of Marzipan. 
    ---Nutritional Information Should Be Considered An Estimate---
     
    Recipe is adapted from https://www.edimdoma.ru/retsepty/49711-shtollen-dva-sposoba-formovki.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 54.3g | Protein: 7.5g | Fat: 20.5g | Saturated Fat: 8.1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 22g | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2.2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Lavender.And.Macarons or tag #lavenderandmacarons!


    Iryna Bychkiv
    Website

    Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
    Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Oana says

      August 18, 2019 at 1:44 am

      I love this dessert! It's not something to eat very often in Romania, but it's nice to discover new traditions around the world!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        August 19, 2019 at 1:10 pm

        Thanks for your comment Oana! Stollen is a really delicious German dessert. I haven't made any Romanian recipes yet. Definitely need to fix this:)

        Reply
    2. Jacqueline Meldrum says

      December 06, 2018 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      That looks fabulous. Perfect for guests over the Christmas period.

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 06, 2018 at 7:14 pm

        Thank you Jacqueline!

        Reply
    3. Chris Collins says

      December 06, 2018 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      I've never had German Christmas cake before, but it looks so so delicious! Will definitely have to make it!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 06, 2018 at 7:15 pm

        Thanks Chris! It's a very delicious Christmas treat indeed!

        Reply
    4. holly says

      December 06, 2018 at 12:05 pm

      what a lovely recipe to enjoy with family over the holidays!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 06, 2018 at 7:15 pm

        Thanks Holly!

        Reply
    5. Lisa Huff says

      December 06, 2018 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      I bet this smells amazing! Loving all the different flavors and textures going on with the fruits and nuts!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 06, 2018 at 11:46 am

        Thanks Lisa!

        Reply
    6. Elaine Benoit says

      December 06, 2018 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      Looking at your recipe made me miss my Grandmother!! She used to make stollen all the time around the holidays!! What a delightful and delicious looking dessert! I can't wait to make it!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 06, 2018 at 7:17 pm

        Thanks Elaine!

        Reply
    7. Wendy says

      December 01, 2018 at 6:27 pm

      I love this recipe! It worked out so nicely but it was all eaten before I could even store it away! Where do you recommend storing it - fridge or room temperature?

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        December 01, 2018 at 7:01 pm

        Wendy, I'm happy to hear your liked the recipe.
        There are many ways to store Stollen. You can either wrap it in plastic and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, after you baked the loaves, generously coated them with butter and icing sugar, tightly wrap in a freezer wrap (waxed brown paper) or plastic and store in a cool dry place (like basement) for 2-3 weeks.
        You can also freeze it for up to 2-3 months. Again, wrap tightly in a plastic wrap and when ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight or defrost in a microwave. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    8. Kulia says

      November 29, 2017 at 9:52 am

      So tasty it looks!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        November 30, 2017 at 9:49 pm

        Thank you:)

        Reply
    4.77 from 13 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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