pan·for·te (p?n-fôr?t??)n. A dense chewy cake of Italian origin containing nuts, honey, candied or dried fruits, and spices.[Italian : pane, bread; see panatela + forte, strong; see forte2.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.