Julekake - Christmas Bread

This recipe was marked with a big, red X so I am assuming this was the recipe that my grandmother used every Christmas. It came from a book called Norwegian Recipes, copyright 1947! I have not personally made this, but I ate plenty of it when I was a kid. Will start the tradition this year! It calls for letting dough sit out overnight in a warm place. I might mix early in the morning and then finish it by bedtime.

• Ready In: 10 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2  cups milk
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 lb butter
• 7  cups flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2  packages dried yeast (I use Fleishmann's)
• 3⁄4 cup raisins
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped citron

Directions

1. Heat milk with sugar and butter.
2. Let milk mixture cool.
3. Mix together flour and cardamom and dried yeast.
4. Add flour mixture to milk mixture.
5. Mix well.
6. Cover dough with a clean cloth, let stand in a warm place overnight.
7. In the morning, work raisins and chopped citron into the dough.
8. Form into loaves.
9. Let rise until doubled in bulk.
10. Bake at 350*.
11. 45 minutes or until done.