Julekake

Norwegian Yule bread with cardamom, candied peel and raisins

Origin: Norway

From the journey of Cardamom.

Julekake (literally 'Yule cake', though it is a bread) is Norway's most beloved Christmas loaf, baked in every home from early December through to Epiphany. Its defining character is cardamom: a generous measure ground from whole pods perfumes the enriched dough with a warm, floral spice that has become inseparable from a Norwegian Christmas kitchen. Cardamom reached Scandinavia via the Viking trade networks that connected the Baltic to the Arab world (Norse merchants carried it north from Constantinople and Baghdad as early as the tenth century, and it became embedded in Nordic baking so completely that Scandinavians now consume more cardamom per capita than any nation outside the Gulf states. Julekake is studded with candied citrus peel and raisins and sliced thickly, then eaten with salted butter and brunost) the sweet, caramel-toned Norwegian brown cheese. It is the kind of bread that makes a cold December morning smell like a celebration.

Ingredients

Dough

250 ml whole milk, warm (37°C)
7 g fast-action dried yeast
80 g caster sugar
500 g strong white bread flour
12 green cardamom pods, seeds finely ground
1 tsp fine salt
100 g unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, large

Fruit

100 g raisins
80 g mixed candied citrus peel, roughly chopped

To Finish

1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp pearl sugar or flaked almonds (optional)

Method

Soak the raisins in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This prevents them drying out in the oven and sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
Combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes until slightly foamy. Add the flour, ground cardamom, salt, and eggs. Mix on low with a dough hook for 2 minutes until a rough dough forms.
Increase to medium speed and add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, waiting for each addition to be incorporated before adding the next. Knead for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls cleanly from the bowl sides.
Add the drained raisins and candied peel, and mix on low for 1 minute until evenly distributed. Do not over-mix at this stage.
Transfer to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and prove in a warm place for 1.5–2 hours until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth, tight oval loaf approximately 25cm long. Place on a lined baking tray. Cover loosely and prove for a further 45–60 minutes until noticeably puffy.
Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Brush the loaf gently with beaten egg and scatter with pearl sugar or flaked almonds if using.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base. If the top colours too fast, tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

The cardamom quantity here is deliberately generous: this bread should smell unmistakably of the spice. For a more delicate flavour, reduce to 8 pods. Julekake keeps well wrapped in a clean tea towel for 2–3 days, and freezes beautifully: slice before freezing so individual pieces can be taken out as needed.

The Gastrographer

Name: Julekake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Norway
Ingredients: 250 ml whole milk, warm (37°C); 7 g fast-action dried yeast; 80 g caster sugar; 500 g strong white bread flour; 12 green cardamom pods, seeds finely ground; 1 tsp fine salt; 100 g unsalted butter, softened; 2 eggs, large; 100 g raisins; 80 g mixed candied citrus peel, roughly chopped; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tbsp pearl sugar or flaked almonds (optional)

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control