Being married to an Italian means I’ve been exposed to different Italian holiday traditions over the years. Like eating fish on Christmas Eve, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Day for good luck and, unfortunately, Limoncello.

Another holiday tradition is panettone which literally translates in English to “the cake that is in resemblance to a brown footstool.” While it may not win any beauty pageants, panettone is actually tasty with a fluffy and buttery interior. It also comes in different varieties. Personally, I’m holding out for someone to come out with a PanetTony! Toni! Toné! version.

In terms of cost, panettones can vary greatly. You can find a cellophane-bagged one for five bucks at No Frills or a fancy one in a tin for seventy dollars at a specialty shop. I remember my mother-in-law once telling me to never spend money on a pricey panettone. (She also told me if I eat lentils on New Year’s Day, I’ll be rich in the year ahead. So far, I’ve only ever started the new year rich in gas.) “You’re paying for the panettone packaging,” she said. But was she right?

I bought six commercially available panettones, ranging from $3.99 to $8.99. I also saved up my allowance and got a fancy one in a tin for $39.90. And I only bought the raisin and citrus peel variety. To keep things interesting, I added an eighth panettone: My own. I searched high and low for a recipe that didn’t look too daunting, but still spent close to two days making it. Would my mother-in-law be able to sniff out which panettone was made by a mangiacake?

Our masked taste test results follow. Since my husband has never been able to resist panettone, I let him taste alongside his mom. I did my own taste test following theirs, so none of us had any idea what we were sampling. Which panettones rose high and which ones fell flat? Read on to find out.

1) Milano Panettone Traditional Cake, $5.00

Milano panettones are everywhere at this time of year. My local No Frills is loaded with them, although I got this one at Walmart. But quantity doesn’t always mean quality. Or does it?

Tasting notes: “I don’t like the smell,” my mother-in-law said. “It’s too strong and cinnamon-y. And it looks very dry.” Once she dug in, she had this to say. (Or not say.) “I don’t have too much to say. It has a bit of an aftertaste.” Personally, I thought it had a processed and perfume-y chemical taste. Not that this has ever stopped me from eating anything before.

Verdict: Milano, you’re easy to find, but not so easy to love.

2) Granducale Italia Panettone Classico, $8.97

This brand came in a box. I recommend saving the box for wrapping presents. That way, when the person gets angry thinking all you got them is a panettone, they won’t be as angry when they see you actually got them a washcloth. This is called “reverse box psychology.”

Granducale high definition interior shot.

Tasting notes: “Yep, I like this one,” my mother-in-law said. “It has a beautiful taste and is something you really enjoy eating.” My husband readily agreed and said this was very flavourful and moist. I thought the colour was golden and it had a feathery and fluffy texture. This was a definite contender for me, although I couldn’t pronounce the name.

Verdict: However you say it, the Granducale panettone hit more right notes than Raffaella Carrà.

3) Longo’s Panettone, $6.49

Longo’s is a grocery store for rich people. Every time I’m in there, I always wonder, “Who would pay this much for Crispy Minis?” Even though their brand-name panettone was reasonably priced, would it be “rich” in taste?

Tasting notes:“This one is more bread-like,” my mother-in-law said. “Is this the homemade one?” (By this point, I already sensed she was getting nervous about mine.)

Photographic evidence of my mother-in-law’s tasting notes.

Both my mother-in-law and husband agreed the flavour was good, but the cake was a bit dry. They commented that there was a floral aftertaste. I thought it was a bit dry but my piece had a lot of raisins in it. Sometimes, it’s the simple things.

Verdict: Longo’s, you’ve got a longo way to go with your panettone.

4) Bauducco Panettone Specialty Cake, $7.99

Like the Granducale brand, this panettone also came in a box. This brand is pretty easy to find as well. I got mine at my neighbourhood Valu-Mart, a place that doesn’t exactly scream “quality panettone.”

Tasting notes: “This looks dry to me,” my mother-in-law said. “Is there chocolate in here?” (There wasn’t.) “It’s not bad, but not something I’d recommend. It’s okay.” (Believe me when I say that “It’s okay” is sometimes as close to a compliment as you can get from an Italian when it comes to their food.) I thought the texture was good, but it didn’t have a lot of flavour. There was a bit of an aftertaste, like packaging.

Verdict: Bauducco, you didn’t exactly succo. But you’re not helping Valu-Mart’s reputation either.

5) San Paolo Panettone Traditional Italian Cake, $3.99

At just under four bucks, this was the cheapest of the panettones. I appreciated the sophisticated blue-and-gold bag and wondered if this panettone could be the underdog of the competition.

San Paolo high definition interior shot.

Tasting notes: “I don’t like this one at all!” my mother-in-law exclaimed. “It doesn’t look like panettone. You can taste the flower!” (At first, I interpreted this as “flour.” Things got a bit confusing at this stage.)

My husband agreed and said it had a processed, artificial taste. I thought it was a little dry and had a lingering aftertaste. Like after you eat it, and then exhale, you can taste the smell in your nose. You know what I mean?

Verdict: San Paolo, your bag is the only tasteful thing about you.

6) Aurora Panettone, $8.99

Like Milano, Aurora is an Italian brand familiar to most people. And this one came in a box, too. It had a smart carrying ribbon attached, so you can carry your panettone like a purse. Provided you’re wearing red shoes. Which, thankfully, I was.

Tasting notes: “Look how soft it is!” my mother-in-law proclaimed before diving in. “It’s delicious. This is a go!”

Both my mother-in-law and husband agreed this panettone was light and fluffy. “I’d spend the money on this one,” she said. “I need another piece,” my husband said. High praise from the Italians indeed. I thought it was very light and fluffy with a buttery flavour. This panettone pulled all the punches.

Verdict: Aurora, you’re going for gold (en).

7) Vergani Il Panettone Di Milano, $39.90

Eataly is a specialty store that sells all things Italian. It’s ridiculously overpriced but I always find myself in there, paying $12 for a packet of pasta. “You’re wasting your money!” I can hear my mother-in-law saying. “Don’t be so stupid!” So it was the first place I thought to buy my expensive panettone. This Vergani brand came in a nice tin, which I’ll use to store my craft supplies. Still, I wasn’t paying forty bucks for something to put pipe cleaners in. I was paying for the panettone. So how did this gourmet one stack up?

Tasting notes:“This one looks good,” my husband said as soon as I put their slices down. “The colour is beautiful.” But looks aren’t everything. “It’s not the best one,” my mother-in-law said after tasting it. “It’s okay, but there’s a flavour I’m not crazy about.” (It could’ve been the flower/flour.) Personally, I thought it was a bit dry, although the raisins seemed juicier. But not forty dollars juicier.

Verdict: Given the amount of “meh” vibes, my mother-in-law was vindicated. Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best.

8) Il Briano di Francisco Panettone, $20 (give or take)

Okay, this wasn’t the actual brand name, although it has a nice ring to it. I spent two weeks searching for a recipe and two frigging days making this panettone. And I had to say, it looked pretty impressive. Would the Italians be dazzled by my homemade efforts?

Tasting notes: “This is Brian’s,” both said in unison with a tone of dread as soon as I put their pieces down. They took a tentative bite and then started laughing. Like, howling. I held onto a weak hope that this could be an expression of joy. “This is a loaf of bread,” my mother-in-law said once she regained her composure. “There’s not enough fluid or flavour. This does not resemble a panettone, Brian. I’m sorry, but I have to be truthful. Yours needs improvement.” My husband added, “It might be okay toasted.” Was this an attempt at a compliment? When I tasted it, I had to reluctantly agree. Compared to the other panettones, mine was dry, like stale Wonderbread with raisins. Speaking of, why don’t they make Wonderbread with raisins?

Verdict: I may have lost two days I’ll never get back, but at least I gained a new loofah.

And the winner is…

It all came down to Aurora vs. Granducale. Both my mother-in-law and husband wanted to revisit both. After an intense second tasting with a lot of hand gesturing, Aurora was crowned the winner by both with Granducale coming in at a close second. Funnily enough, I ended up picking the same two as my top picks, but ultimately decided on Granducale.

And there you have it! Did we miss a brand that you’d recommend? Post a comment below and let the world know! Or, at least, the three people who read this blog. This is important information to share. And if you want more seasonal taste tests, check out my eggnog taste test and my fruitcake taste test.

Whether you’re Italian or not, I hope you enjoy a little peace and panettone this holiday season. And don’t forget those lentils on New Year’s Day.

Important 2024 update: Three years after this taste test, I invited my Italian mother-in-law to help me taste test 10 brands of pandoro. Check out our report!