Very nice to find this here!! Indeed a gorgeous bread or as we would more consider it in Sweden; "en kaka". The title though is quite misleading: not that is matters to people over there but Jule Kage is actually Danish (yeas there IS a difference!) and in pure Sw it would be Jul Kaka. Although similar this is more correct. Curiously I have never heard about a "kage" like this being of Swedish tradition.I guess it actually is Danish and that the author has mixed up the countries. So try it and enjoy the smells; and give it the title "Jule kage - a Danish cardomom bread" OR "Jul Kaka - a Swedish c. b." Merry Christmas. God Jul! Josquin
My Norwegian grandmother made this for years and now my 90-year-old mother continues to make our "Norwegian Christman Bread" using Gram's huge bread-mixer. Mom sends it to family in Alaska Texas Colorado Virginia Maryland and New York State every year; our whole family always saves it for Christmas morning breakfast!
This is just like my Norwegian mother used to make but in Norwegian it's called Julekage. It was a family tradition and my German father enjoyed it too. It's particularly good when heated and spread with butter and keeps well in the refrigerator. Great recipe one of the best Christmas recipes you've had.
A very good bread and easy to make. I added a teaspoon of lemon extract to it because I like the cardamom/lemon combo and the taste was wonderful. The only complaint I have was that it didn't rise as much as I would have liked. I would make it again though!
Same recipe as my Norwegian grandmother used to make. She would put citron in with the dried cherries. Then she would make another batch but without the cherries citron or raisins. That bread made the greatest toast for breakfast! I make both of them. Here's some info on cardamom. It's VERY expensive and the pungency will fade from purchase date to the next year. I keep my bottle tightly capped put it in a ziploc freezer bag and keep it in the freezer. It is also used to season "krumkage" which is similair to a pizelle OR waffle cone that is cooked and rolled around dowling while hot. Good stuff! I think the title means "crumb cookie" which describes it very well.
This is a wonderful Norwegian bread!
Thanks for submitting this recipe Janice. It went together well and turned out/tasted great! I liked the first rising with only half the flour. I like cardamom and plan to increase it by 1 tsp. next time. Great recipe to do with the kids.
I don't know whose correct about the origins of this bread but it's definitely a nice bread. I made it in the bread machine and used maraschino cherries bc I don't have candied cherries. It was a bit sticky (probably due to the cherries) but it baked up well and the bread itself is a very soft white bread. Tastes pretty good. Thanks for the recipe!
I cut this recipe in half and put it into my bread machine (minus the fruit). After it finished dough mode I pulled it from the can and folded the fruit in and let it raise for two hours. I made just one massive loaf. It is the BEST Julekake that I've ever made. Exceptional.
