31 Of The Best Christmas Cake Recipes
Ring in the holiday season with a selection of the best Christmas Cake Recipes!
Here is a full list of 31 Christmas Cake Ideas made to transform your holiday dessert table into a winter wonderland.
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Looking for some new recipes this holiday season? Sure Christmas cookies get all the hype, but why not make this season extra special and wow the family with a homemade Christmas cake this year?
In this post, you’ll find all of my favorite Christmas cake recipes. I’m not just talking about a fruit cake here. Instead, I’m bringing you a list of the most show-stopping cake recipes, to transform your dinner table into a holiday masterpiece!
Whether you’re looking for a simple Christmas cake for holiday snacking or an elaborate layer cake to drop jaws, you’ll find the perfect recipe to impress your family and friends.
Choose from a variety of cakes ranging from classic bundt cakes, to creamy cheesecakes, to stunning layer cakes that make the perfect holiday centerpiece, and I’ve even compiled a whole section of Christmas cake ideas that the kids will love!
With a huge range of flavors and classic recipes featuring eggnog or gingerbread, to a more decadent cake made with chocolate and peppermint, you’ll find something to fit what you’re craving. And if you’re looking to make the holiday spirits a little brighter, there’s even a list of boozy cakes made for slicing after the kids go to bed.
So whether you’re looking to make an elaborate Christmas cake decoration or just need an easy peasy Christmas time dessert to make the season extra merry, these delicious and easy cake recipes are here to help you out!
The Best Recipes For Christmas Cakes
Below is a list of my favorite festive Christmas cake recipes ranging from sweet mini bundt cakes, to creamy cheesecakes, and fun Christmas cake Ideas for the kids! And when the kids are in bed, serve up the rum cakes.
Gingerbread and Spice Cakes
Spice cakes featuring the warm spices of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves baked up into tasty cakes. They're as delicious as they are stunning, and these cakes will fill your home with the smell of Christmas.
Put a festive spin on chocolate cake! This classic cake blends buttermilk, molasses, and spices for richness and flavor and is finished with a tasty cream cheese frosting!
Delicious and rich Gingerbread Cake, filled with warm spices and baked into a delightful snack cake. Perfect for a casual dessert during the Christmas season.
If you love Snickerdoodle Cookies then you'll love this Snickerdoodle Cake recipe! Using a yellow cake mix and decadent brown sugar cinnamon swirls, you can enjoy that classic snickerdoodle taste in cake form!
Ideal for the holidays, this Gingerbread Cake is a moist and delightful ginger treat with tangy cream cheese frosting. Add a mini gingerbread house to the top of the cake for a sweet show-stopping dessert!
Packed with fresh cranberries, orange zest, and orange juice, and finished with a delightful cream cheese frosting. Topped with sugared cranberries, this Cranberry Christmas Cake is a holiday-perfect treat!
Christmas Bundt Cakes
Festive and gorgeous bundt cakes to get you in the holiday spirit! The best part? Effortless decorating! Have fun playing around with different bundt pans for an easy and elegant cake for your next holiday gathering.
A delicious and moist gingerbread bundt cake spiced with aromatic flavors and topped with a cream cheese drizzle.
Whether homemade or using a boxed mix, this Angel Food Cake is adorned with raspberry-almond whipped cream and fresh raspberries for a festive and delightful treat!
Made with fresh cranberries, orange liqueur, and vanilla bean paste, this tasty Cranberry Pound Cake is a rich, old-fashioned treat, perfect for the holidays.
What's Christmas without eggnog? This tasty Eggnog Cake is incredibly moist and decadent, made with simple ingredients. Perfect for your holiday celebration!
Impress your guests with Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake, a visually stunning and decadent addition to your Christmas feast! Featuring a luscious chocolate bundt cake with peppermint ganache, it'll steal the show on your dessert table, disappearing slice by slice.
Bursting with fresh, tart cranberries, orange zest, and a hint of orange juice, this moist and delicious Cranberry Bundt Cake only needs a dusting of powdered sugar and sugared cranberries for the perfect festive touch.
A moist bundt cake infused with cinnamon-orange syrup, and decorated with frosting and festive sprinkles. Fill your home with the aroma of Christmas this season with this festive and delicious Christmas Bundt Cake.
Irresistible mini chocolate bundt cakes topped with luscious chocolate ganache! Perfectly fluffy and moist, these mini treats are ideal for every occasion and are sure to become your new holiday favorite.
Peppermint Cakes
Stunning Christmas cakes featuring cool and festive peppermint flavoring.
Rich chocolate cake layers are paired with a smooth and minty peppermint frosting in this festive Chocolate Peppermint Cake.
The perfect blend of fudgy brownie cake and homemade peppermint marshmallow frosting! This brownie cake is guaranteed to steal the show at your holiday table!
Red Velvet Cake Roll with Chocolate and Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
Bright and festive Red Velvet Cake filled with mint buttercream frosting and topped with crushed candy canes. This is the perfect centerpiece for any holiday dessert table.
Christmas Cakes For The Kids
Cute and whimsical cakes for the kids! Put a smile on the little ones' faces this holiday season with these fun and delicious cakes!
Celebrate the holiday magic with this Chocolate Peppermint Unicorn Cake. It's a fun and festive cake that sparkles with joy!
Everything you love about Christmas sugar cookies, but in the form of a cake! Topped with cream cheese icing and holiday sprinkles, this is the perfect holiday dessert the whole family will love.
Transform your cupcakes into charming Christmas trees! With creamy whipped frosting and a few decorations, you can make this easy Christmas cake recipe with your favorite cupcakes!
Celebrate the holidays with this fun Christmas Funfetti Layer Cake! Featuring fluffy vanilla cake layers, studded with festive Christmas sprinkles and frosted with vanilla buttercream, this cake is the ultimate way to make your festivities unforgettable!
Craft a silly holiday treat with this Ugly Sweater Cake recipe! Using basic pantry items and festive garnishes, have fun decorating this tacky holiday cake with bright colors and cheerful designs. Perfect for a fun and delicious dessert!
Cheesecake For Christmas
Add a touch of decadence to your Christmas dessert table. Cheesecakes are a traditional Christmas cake in my house and they're perfect for the holidays. They can be made days in advance for a stress-free and show-stopping dessert. Hint: Cheesecakes taste even better the next day and make a fabulous Christmas morning treat!
Creamy NY Style Cheesecake made with a classic graham cracker crust and topped with homemade cherry sauce. It's the perfect cheesecake recipe for any special occasion!
Take your favorite holiday beverage and turn it into a delicious dessert! This No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake is filled with the cozy, seasonal flavors you love, and no baking is required!
If you have a little extra time to bake your Eggnog Cheesecake, try this version served with a spicy gingersnap crust and boozy bourbon sauce on the side. The cake is sure to be a hit at the Christmas party.
Impress your guests with a stunning Chocolate Chip Cheesecake! Layered with a graham cracker crust, fudgy chocolate ganache, and a velvety cheesecake filling studded with chocolate chips, it's the perfect treat for any holiday gathering.
Creamy mini bites of NY Style Cheesecake on a crisp graham cracker crust, all made in a mini muffin pan! These bites come together in minutes and are perfect for a Christmas party!
Boozy Cakes
Make your spirits bright with these boozy Christmas desserts! These festive cakes are baked with love and a little something stronger. Adding a little liquor to a cake recipe is one of the best ways to keep it moist and an even more delicious way to celebrate special occasions with friends!
Boxed yellow cake mix and white wine come together with holiday spices to make a decadent and super moist cake batter. Soaked in a white wine butter glaze, this is an outrageously delicious (and easy) dessert.
A moist bundt cake, filled with crunchy pecans, and soaked in a warm buttered rum sauce. Rich and divine, it's a true dessert masterpiece!
A true showstopper, this White Chocolate Baileys Cake features silky mascarpone frosting, white chocolate layers, and hidden ganache. It's easy to decorate and perfect for the holidays!
Super moist and buttery, this Easy Rum Cake is a delightful dessert perfect for any occasion. With a hint of spiced rum flavor, it's bound to have everyone asking for seconds!
Finish your holiday meal strong with a Gingerbread Trifle! This easy dessert layers cake and pudding with vanilla, caramel, and a touch of brandy. The festive spices blend perfectly, creating a seasonal twist on the traditional trifle. Ideal for using leftover cake in a delicious way!
Tips For Best Results
- Always read the recipe thoroughly before starting: Sometimes a cake takes some planning, so reading the recipe through a few times sets you up for success!
- Greasing Bundt Pans: When it comes to bundt cakes, make sure to grease the bundt pan really well. I love using “baking spray“, which is cooking spray that has flour in it. It works really well and doesn’t leave a flour residue on the outside of the cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Unless otherwise noted, refrigerated items like eggs, butter, cream cheese, and milk should be taken out 2-4 hours before baking to come up to room temperature. The ingredients will mix much better and the cake will be lighter and fluffier.
- Frost Cooled Cakes: If your recipe calls for icing, make sure the cake layers are completely cooled before adding frosting. It can be tempting (especially if you’re in a rush) to frost a cake that is still a little warm but trust me, it will just lead to heartache.
Equipment
Whether you’re a seasoned baker, or baking a cake for the first time, depending on your recipe, here are some tools to make things run smoothly!
- A bundt pan and baking spray – I find a standard 10 cup capacity bundt pan is perfect for most recipes. Make sure to read the recipe to ensure you have the right size.
- Cake pans – A good set of cake pans can make your life so much easier! For layer cakes I love these cake pans with high sides. For a cheesecake, I like to use this 9″ springform pan. Tip: For easy removal, line the bottoms of cake pans with circles of parchment paper before greasing. For cheesecakes, wrap the bottom of a springform pan in foil to prevent leaking.
- Cake Decorating Turntable – A turntable makes decorating layer cakes a breeze!
- Piping Bags and Decorating Tips – To give those Christmas cakes a beautiful, decorated edge.
More Christmas Desserts
Pairings
Enjoy any one of these delicious Christmas Cake Recipes with the following warm beverages:
