AIBU to think that, Italy, hands down, wins the international battle of the Christmas cake.

[KenDodd]

British, heavy fruit cake, just horrible.
Germany, stollen, not much better.
France, chocolate log, very nice but not very christmassy.
Italy, panettone, just delicious!

I love good panettone. I always wonder if the haters have only ever had the UK supermarket versions.

I've had the supposedly good stuff. It's still bad and it still contains dried fruit which is evil.

Give me Christmas cake or Bouche de Noel any day. Don't like Stollen or Panettone.

Ah, but you have missed the Swedish Christmas baking. Gingerbread (the proper thins, like Anna's) and lussekatter/ saffron buns.

Pavlova? At Christmas? No, no no.
Pavlova is wonderful... in the summer.

I've had the supposedly good stuff. It's still bad and it still contains dried fruit which is evil.

I mean if your starting point is that you hate dried fruit then it’s never going to be your thing, right?

My point is that there are good and bad pannetones and having tried some of the supermarket ones I can understand the ‘dry, bland’ comments.

Obv not if you don’t like the core ingredient, though. It’s like someone not liking chocolate and being told ‘ah, but if you just try the French Yule log…

@HeadNorth

Christmas cake is food of the gods - well the ones I make are. I don't bother with marzipan or royal icing, but the cake is full of dried mange, apricot and pineapple as well as raisins, all soaked in sherry. Loads of walnuts, brazils and cashews and some chunks of dark dense chocolate. Sweetened with muscavado sugar and honey, it is not traditonal but it is amazing.

I quite like stollen and yule log. Panetone is always a disappointment - too dry and bready,

This has cracked me up - can't for the life of me work out what dried mange might be

I am a cake lover, there aren't many I'd turn down so I think Christmas cakes that are British, French, German, Italian are all delicious. And sadly my hips and thighs are proof of my love of all of the above

@KenDodd

Pavlova? At Christmas? No, no no. Pavlova is wonderful... in the summer.

Yes. That’s kind of my point about national pride.

I’m Australian. Growing up, my Christmases were all in the summer. Just as valid a Christmas as a northern hemisphere one and frankly a far superior Christmas dessert.

(For that reason, I’m making another one tomorrow. Far better than endless stodge. Also expecting my final panettone delivery….)

You are 100% right. Ignore everyone else - we know we are right!

Stollen is grim.

I like Pandoro better though

I’d choose a pavlova above all the others. I’m in the UK but am just not a fan of heavy puddings and fruit cake, especially after a huge roast meal.

The Swedish options sound nice I must say. Though more like snacky things than a pudding.

I’ve only ever had supermarket panettone and i am underwhelmed but open to persuasion- what brand should i try??

Chocolate log for me. The rest are grim

Rich fruit cake and stollen are neck-and-neck.

NO.. You cannot beat a traditional Christmas cake. Any of the others are poor by comparison

*I've had the supposedly good stuff. It's still bad and it still contains dried fruit which is evil.

I mean if your starting point is that you hate dried fruit then it’s never going to be your thing, right?

My point is that there are good and bad pannetones and having tried some of the supermarket ones I can understand the ‘dry, bland’ comments.

I still found the good ones to be dry.

YABVU. Panettone is dry, boring and overrated.

You’ve clearly not experienced a nice English Christmas cake.

YANBU - Germany very close second as love stolen and was brought up on it by German relatives.
Just out spare pannetonne s away for Easter - may sneak a small one out.

Lussekattar are fabulous.
Panettone nice but a bit bland (and I have had proper Italian ones).
Yule Log is delicious.
I love a good Christmas cake.
Dutch almond ring is a beautiful delight.
I really want to try Portugal's offering (Bolo rei). Has anyone had it?

But yes, pavlova wins hands down, especially if it's a proper Kiwi recipe. But no kiwifruit, foul things.

Panettone, stollen and fruit cake are all degrees of the same thing .... with Christmas pudding at the pinnacle of them all due to greater moisture and booze content, and panettone and stollen sharing the bottom layer.
Chocolate yule log is very festive ..... have you never seen a decorated one? Also very yummy but can't really be compared with above.

Yes

It's got to be a buche Noel and cheese is before pudding. Gravel

I mean yes, panettone is the best.

@AfterEightMintyCedric

The thing is, you can't really eat the others with cheese!

A small piece of really good, well matured Christmas cake (ideally without inches of marzipan and claggy icing) is a thing of beauty.

Prefer stollen Danish (so marzipan and fruit rolled in puff pastry, shaped into a ring and baked) to the doughy type.

Don't think I've ever eaten Yule log tbh, but then I can take or leave chocolate.

DD(17) loves panettone so I buy her a choc one every year - this year was from TKMaxx and involved swirls of choc hazelnut spread as well as choc chips. It's was delicious but I always think it's a bit insubstantial.

Stollen every time for me.

The Danish one sounds fab. Never came across it though. I'll have to hunt it out. What's it called?

Stollen I like but can pass on. Buche de Noel is delicious but you can’t go past panettone and Christmas cake. Panettone feels like being a drug addict - I always want more! But it’s a breakfast / snack food. Christmas cake is Christmas cake. I’m Aussie too so this year to go with the panettone and Christmas cake I made strawberry Charlotte, but might be pav next year

This has cracked me up - can't for the life of me work out what dried mange might be

Dried mango not traditonal, but delicious.