The Italian Christmas cake made with candied fruit and raisins is panettone. It is a tall, airy, yeast-raised sweet bread associated especially with Milan and traditionally eaten around Christmas and New Year.
Panettone’s dough is enriched and slowly fermented, giving it a light, distinctive texture rather than the dense crumb of many fruitcakes. Raisins and pieces of candied orange and citron are its classic inclusions. Modern versions may add chocolate, almonds, other dried fruits, or flavored extracts.
The dessert is often confused with pandoro, another popular Italian Christmas cake. Pandoro is usually golden, star-shaped, and plain or dusted with sugar, while panettone is generally taller and contains fruit. Cannoli and tiramisu are also Italian desserts, but neither is a Christmas fruit cake. Although strongly associated with Milan, panettone is now enjoyed across Italy and in many countries in Europe, the Americas, and beyond.