In Italy, the star-shaped Christmas cake from Verona is called Pandoro.
Pandoro is a rich Italian sweet bread traditionally associated with Verona in the Veneto region. Its name means “golden bread,” and the cake is usually baked in an eight-pointed mold. Before serving, it is dusted with vanilla-scented icing sugar, giving its ridges a snowy appearance.
Although earlier golden, enriched breads influenced its development, the modern commercial version is strongly linked to Verona pastry chef Domenico Melegatti. On October 30, 1894, Melegatti received a patent for an industrial pandoro-making process, helping establish the cake as a national Christmas product.
Pandoro is often confused with panettone, but the two have distinct identities. Panettone is a tall, dome-shaped Milanese sweet bread commonly filled with raisins and candied fruit; pandoro is usually plain, buttery and star-shaped. Colomba is another related Italian festive bread, traditionally associated with Easter.