Giada DeLaurentiis' Upgraded Holiday Cake Is Turning Heads

With Mariah Carey's iconic "All I Want For Christmas" playing in the background, Giada DeLaurentiis shared a simple, delicious holiday cake idea on her TikTok account. Although many people might want to whip up a slice of deliciousness from the home oven, this holiday dessert idea seems to be relatively stress-less. With a slice, dollop, and dusting, a delicious holiday cake goes from box to star of the dessert table.

The traditional boxed cake DeLaurentiis shows how to dress up is pandoro. According to a recipe on Giadzy, this Italian sweet bread is plated by slicing the cake horizontally. Each off-set slice is separated with mascarpone whipped cream and it is finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and dried fruits.

Saying what probably a lot of us are thinking right now, a TikTok commenter replied, "Ok this is my kinda 'baking.'" DeLaurentiis also re-posted the TikTok to Instagram, where commenters also overwhelmingly approved of the simplicity of this holiday cake idea. "That might be your best idea ever," one enthused fan replied. Another found the whole thing educational, writing, "I have always wondered what those strange cakes were in the boxes and if anyone ate them. Now I know!!" So, now that we know what to do with pandoro, let's learn a little more about what it actually is. 

When Giada DeLaurentiis showcased a simple, yet genius upgraded holiday cake idea on her TikTok, it had some people wondering what is pandoro and why is it a holiday favorite cake? According to Eatly, pandoro is considered a less sweet dessert akin to panettone, and can be referred to as "golden bread." While the eggy dough might be similar to a French brioche, the signature star shaped cake is meant to reference the mountains near Verona, where the cake originates.

As seen in DeLaurentiis' video (screenshot above), the eight-point star cake is usually sliced horizontally and each offset layer is separated by a filling. The sprinkling of powdered sugar is meant to represent the snow-capped mountains. Some plating options include dried fruits or even candied nuts. Although it can be served in one long slice, the offset tree plating makes a more festive appearance. 

Since pandora is usually purchased, not made at home (few people would have that special star-shaped pan), it is a simple, easy holiday cake to serve. Instead of flour, butter, and sugar churning in the kitchen, this dessert is all about the plating. With an impressive visual and little stress, this Italian holiday cake might be the new dessert tradition in many people's homes.