Fluffy Panettone-Style Cake Filled Before Baking

Prepare the filling: In a saucepan, mix the milk and cornstarch until dissolved before turning on the heat.

Add the granulated sugar, the (strained) egg yolks, and the butter (or margarine) to the milk and cornstarch mixture. Finally, add the vanilla extract.

Turn the heat to low and stir continuously with a whisk until the custard thickens and becomes very firm and heavy.

Turn off the heat, transfer the filling to a bowl, and cover it directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely.

For the batter, mix the whole eggs, granulated sugar, and butter/margarine in a bowl with a whisk until well combined.

Alternate adding the sifted all-purpose flour and milk to the mixture, stirring gently with each addition.

Gently fold in the chopped dried fruits (raisins and candied fruit) and the panettone extract into the batter.

Add the baking powder and mix just enough to incorporate it into the batter, which will have a heavy, buttery texture.

Pour the batter into a pan that has been previously greased with butter and dusted with all-purpose flour, spreading it evenly with the back of a spoon.

Transfer the cold filling to a piping bag (with the tip cut off) and pipe the filling over the batter in the pan, decorating the surface in a checkerboard pattern. If using chocolate chips, place them on top of the batter.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for about 30 minutes, or until a characteristic Christmas aroma fills the kitchen.

After removing it from the oven and letting it cool slightly, decorate the cake by dusting it with powdered sugar.