These Christmas cake recipes are guaranteed to make your holiday dessert table the highlight of the entire day! From traditional classics (including the original British Christmas cake) to fun new treats, there is something for everyone! Choose whether you want indulgent, fruity, light, or rich, and then get ready to bake!
Make your cakes even better with one of my cake filling recipes. You can learn more about the different types of cake filling here.
Jump to:
- 1. Christmas Cake
- 2. Jamaican Black Cake
- 3. Light Fruitcake
- 4. Chocolate Peppermint Sheet Cake
- 5. Chocolate Yule Log
- 6. Rum Cake
- 7. Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- 8. Eggnog Cake
- 9. Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
- 10. Gingerbread Latte Cake
- 11. Christmas Cranberry Cake
- 12. Hot Chocolate Cake
- 13. Reindeer Cake
- 14. Snowman Spice Cake
- 15. Upside-Down Citrus Cake
- 16. Pomegranate Christmas Cake
- 17. Ugly Christmas Sweater Cake
- 💭 Tips For Making Christmas Cakes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Best Christmas Cake Recipes: Traditional British Christmas Cake (+ More Great Cakes To Bake!)
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
The dessert table may easily be my favorite part of Christmas dinner. I like to make sure to line it with tons of sweet treats and baked goods for the whole family.
Christmas cakes and Christmas cookies are my sweet spot, and I look forward to December specifically for the holiday baking! Here are a few of the best Christmas cake recipes I've tried over the years so you can share them with your family, too.
Whether you're a pro at hosting Christmas dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Christmas a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday prime rib early, too!
1. Christmas Cake
This traditional British Christmas cake is actually the origin of the well-known fruitcake! It is a spiced cake loaded with soaked fruits and then topped off with marzipan and royal icing!
What better treat is there for getting you into the holiday spirit?
2. Jamaican Black Cake
Another twist on fruitcake: this Jamaican version is unique because the soaked fruits are actually blended until smooth and then folded into the batter! You'll enjoy tons of flavor in every tender bite!
3. Light Fruitcake
Everyone knows about fruitcake, and this homemade version is delicious! Feel free to age your cake for as long as you want to really develop the flavors!
4. Chocolate Peppermint Sheet Cake
Nothing screams wintertime like peppermint! The chocolate sheet cake uses peppermint extract, and the top is sprinkled with crushed peppermints for festive flavor!
5. Chocolate Yule Log
Tender chocolate cake is rolled up with a whipped cream filling and then topped with chocolate frosting! Not only is it delicious, but it is beautiful to look at, too!
6. Rum Cake
This amazing rum cake has rum in the cake itself and the glaze! It's a boozy treat that's perfect for the grown-ups!
7. Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Gingerbread is an iconic, traditional holiday flavor. Rather than dealing with cutting out shapes for gingerbread houses or cookies, enjoy this cake instead!
8. Eggnog Cake
This easy-to-make cake is packed with the flavor of eggnog! It uses boxed cake mix as well as packaged pudding mix for some real convenience.
I highly recommend adding the optional eggnog glaze, too!
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
9. Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
A decadent Swiss roll is always a crowd-pleaser. Your entire family will definitely be fighting over the last slice!
10. Gingerbread Latte Cake
This amazing cake is all about comforting flavors! The cake is gingerbread flavored and topped with a delicious latte frosting.
As if that couldn't get any better, it is then garnished with toffee bits and salted caramel!
11. Christmas Cranberry Cake
Dense vanilla cake is studded with fresh cranberries. Then, it is topped with cream cheese frosting and candied cranberries!
12. Hot Chocolate Cake
Get ready to enjoy a rich cup of hot cocoa in the form of a cake! Chocolate cake is layered with hot chocolate buttercream as well as marshmallow filling.
Top it off with some mini marshmallows to complete the look!
13. Reindeer Cake
If you have a lot of kids in your family, then this adorable reindeer cake is bound to steal the show! It's easier to make than you think and sure to be a favorite!
14. Snowman Spice Cake
Get ready to build a snowman with this wonderfully festive spice cake! It uses a special snowman cake pan, so it isn't difficult to decorate!
15. Upside-Down Citrus Cake
An easy upside-down cake that can be made with whatever variety of citrus fruits that you happen to have on hand! Try it with oranges, grapefruit, pomelos, and more!
16. Pomegranate Christmas Cake
Vanilla cake layers are soaked in pomegranate syrup and then layered with pomegranate cream cheese frosting. Top it off with some pomegranate seeds for the ultimate experience!
17. Ugly Christmas Sweater Cake
Ugly Christmas sweaters are always so much fun, and this cake is too! Whether you want to serve it at a Christmas party or on the big day itself, everyone will love it!
💭 Tips For Making Christmas Cakes
It's easy to be overwhelmed when so many cakes sound delicious! Here are my top tips for baking the very best Christmas cakes:
- Know your cakes: See my guide to the different cake varieties to decide what kind of cake sounds best to you.
- Size and portions: Decide how many people you'll be serving and if you will need to transport your cake. Some cakes work better for potlucks and large crowds, and more delicate cakes are easier to serve at home.
- Pick a flavor: Traditional Christmas cake flavors include fruitcake, gingerbread, or spiced cakes. However, there's nothing wrong with non-traditional options like chocolate or citrus-flavored cakes. There are no rules, choose a flavor that you and your friends or family will enjoy!
- Level of difficulty: Assess your baking skills and the amount of time you have available. If you're using a baking or frosting technique you've never tried before, a test run is always a good idea.
The Christmas cake recipes are sure to please all of your guests! Which one are you going to whip up for the big day?
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Best Christmas Cake Recipes: Traditional British Christmas Cake (+ More Great Cakes To Bake!)
Ingredients
Traditional British Christmas Cake
- 3 cups dried currants
- 2 ½ cups sultanas (golden raisins)
- 1 ½ cups raisins
- 2 ½ cups glace cherries (red or a combination of red & green candied cherries)
- ½ cup brandy or sherry (+ more for feeding the Christmas cake - use orange juice to cover fruit completely for soaking overnight, if desired)
- 1 ¼ cups butter (salted - softened, at room temperature)
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar (packed)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 3 oz almonds (chopped)
- 1 large orange (zested)
- 1 large lemon (zested)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon British mixed spice blend (see recipe)
Covering
- 2 tablespoon apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- 1 ½ lbs marzipan
Royal Icing
- 3 large egg whites (use the best, fresh eggs available)
- 6 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (sifted w confectioners sugar)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice of half a large lemon (fresh, squeezed)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Traditional British Christmas Cake
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the fruit (after rinsing). Pour brandy or sherry over, and top off with additional orange juice if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to soak overnight (at least) and preferably for 2 to 3 days, stirring daily.
- Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C/Gas Mark 1) and line a 9-inch round pan (springform or cake pan, with at least 2-inch high sides) with a double layer of parchment paper. *Cut out two rounds of parchment paper, and place in the bottom of the pan. Cut two long strips from parchment paper about the same width as your baking pan is in height, and fit both layers on the inside rim of your baking pan.
- In a very large mixing bowl, preferably one that fits a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light, fluffy, and light in color. Add eggs, molasses, orange and lemon zest, almonds, and mixed spice. Mix until well combined.
- Add flour and mix until incorporated, then fold in fruit mixture (soaked and drained). Transfer batter to lined cake pan, level the top of the batter with a slightly concave surface to prevent the cake from forming a small dome.
- Bake at 275°F (135°C/Gas Mark 1) in the center of the oven for about 4 to 4 ½ hours. Check the cake half way through baking to see how the top of the cake looks; cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning, if necessary. The cake is done when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Remove the cake and allow to cool on a wire rack in the cake pan until cooled. Once cooled, remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on the wire rack. Before storing, use a fine skewer to poke holes intermittently throughout the cake surface to feed brandy or sherry (2-3 tablespoons at a time) to the cake.
- Cover with a double layer of parchment paper, then wrap in aluminum foil to store in a cool place until ready to cover and apply icing before serving (up to 3 months for feeding the brandy or sherry to the cake). *Keep the parchment paper in place between feedings, as it will help to keep the cake moist.
- When ready to serve the cake, allow three days to cover with marzipan (similar to fondant, made using almond paste) and apply the royal icing.
Covering your Traditional British Christmas Cake
- To cover the Christmas Cake, turn the cake upside down so that the flat side up is facing upward. Combine the apricot preserves and warm water, stir to thin and sieve through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Use the remaining mix to coat the bottom and sides of the cake.
- Use confectioners sugar to coat a working surface and roll out marzipan with 2 additional inches than the cake width (9 inch baking pan + 2 inches to cover the cake sides).
- Roll marzipan layer up on your rolling pin and transfer to cover the cake. Use your rolling pin to level and smooth the top of the cake and marzipan, then work to smooth the sides of the cake. Your marzipan should cover the cake completely, use a sharp knife to trim any excess marzipan away from the bottom of the covered cake.
- Cover the cake again with parchment paper and allow the marzipan to set up (it will dry out a bit) for a few days before spreading the royal icing and finishing the cake decorating.
Royal Icing
- Using a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy and foamy. Add sifted confectioners sugar with cream of tartar to the whisked egg whites gradually, adding 1-2 tablespoons at a time on a low setting.
- While still on a low speed, drizzle in the lemon juice and then beat until stiff peaks are formed and you have a thick and glossy royal icing.
- Transfer royal icing to the top of your Christmas Cake and spread out over the surface and sides evenly if desired, or use an offset spatula to form roughed up peaks for a textured finish.
- Allow the royal icing to form a skin (it will not transfer to your finger when touched), then cover loosely with plastic wrap until ready to serve. *I like candied orange peel added to my mixed spice blend, used here on my Christmas Cake for garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 10, 2023
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