Mama Elizabeth’s Julekake Bread
This incredible Norwegian Christmas bread recipe has been handed down in my family. Sweet, satisfying, and full of buttery flavor, I can’t wait to share Mama Elizabeth’s Julekake Bread with you.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ Cup Whole or 2% Milk
- 7 tablespoon Salted Butter
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 4 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom
- 1 Pack Active Dry Yeast (plus ¼ cup water and 1 teaspoon sugar to activate)
- ¾ Cup Golden Raisins
- 1 Egg Beaten, for the Egg Wash
Instructions
- Place the milk, salted butter, sugar, and salt in a stove top pan and heat on medium-high until bubbles just start to form. Gently whisk to combine. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, about 5-10 minutes. You can place the pan in the refrigerator to speed the cooling process if you like.
- While the mixture cools, add 1 packets of active dry yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water + 1 teaspoon sugar {water should be just above lukewarm, about 100 to 110°F.}. Allow yeast to double in size, about 5-10 minutes. This is how you know that your yeast is active and ready to use.
- In a large bowl, add the lukewarm milk mixture and the yeast mixture. Add the flour and cardamom (start with 3 ½ and add as needed until dough is no longer sticky, but you don’t want it too dry. 4 cups was perfect for me).Stir and then kneed the dough to combine, about 2-3 minutes.Return the dough to the bowl to rise till doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
- When dough has reached at least double in size, take it out and kneed it again, adding the of golden raisins in. Place the dough in an 8”x4” baking pan. Allowed the dough to rise again in the pan for about a half an hour.
- Brush the egg wash on top of the loaf and bake it at 375° for 35-40 minutes, or until top is golden and bread is baked through.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire baking rack. Store any leftovers covered in an airtight container for up to a week, or wrap and freeze the loaf for up to a month. Defrost frozen bread in the refrigerator or on the countertop. Best served toasted and buttered, but this bread is also delicious cut right off the loaf. Enjoy!
Notes
Dietary Substitutions:
This bread can easily be made gluten-free and vegan.
Simply substitute bobs red mill gluten-free one to one baking flour in for the all-purpose flour.
Sub in your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk for the dairy milk, and a brick-style plant-based butter for the dairy butter. I like Miyokos the best because it melts like dairy butter.
For a vegan egg wash, combine 2 tablespoons of plant-based milk with 1 teaspoon of agave nectar, whisk, and brush onto the top of the bread before baking.