Medieval Yultide Cake | Stollen recipe | Traditional German Bread (sweet)

Today I would like to share a traditional German Christmas recipe with you that has been around since way before 1329 – at least that is the year, this sweet bread was first mentioned in a historic document in the city of Naumburg. A German Weihnachtsstollen – a sweet, dense fruit loaf that is made several weeks before the festivities as it has to sit for a while to develop its’ rich flavor. The perfect yuletide cake for cozy evenings at the fireplace.
Today we are going to bake it together all relaxed and comfy by candlelight while I tell you some fun stories about this special Christmas or yule cake. All ingredients, measurements, and a vegan variation can be found down below.

By the way, There are many variations of this loaf, as you can also make it plain, with marzipan, nut, or poppyseed filling – so If you are not big on dried fruit you have options.

In the agricultural traditions as well as religious festivities in southern Germany and closeby regions we have many Gebildbrote. The word means shaped bread and describes various sweet or savory baked goods traditionally made on specific holidays of the year. For example the easter lamb, the Krampus, Bukwy, the Joihannismandl, or the braided bread for Samhain or All-Saints day to name just a few.
The shapes do symbolize the meaning of the holiday or season on the wheel of the year.
The original savory Stollen bread is said to be baked since pagan times, resembling the shape of a boar and representing the wish for fertility and health. In Christain times it transformed due to new ingredients being available into its sweet variation, thickly coated in white powdered sugar – so nowadays people bake it for Christmas with the shape and color of the bread to resemble a swaddled baby Jesus.

Weihnachtstollen recipe

300g Raisins
50g Almond slivers
40g Lime succade
40g Orange succade
60ml Rum
Zest of 1 fresh lemon
500g flour
7g active dry yeast
60ml warm milk
380 g butter
3 tsp vanilla sugar
1 tsp salt
150g sugar

Some butter to brush it
Lots of powdered sugar

For the vegan version replace butter with plant-based margarine and the milk with a nut, grain, or plant milk of your choice.