32 Irresistible Holiday Cakes to Make Every Day of Your Season Sweet

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated November 15, 2019
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Enjoy our assortment of indulgent Christmas cake recipe ideas perfect for your next get-together. From elegant layered creations and traditional cake rolls to creamy cheesecakes and mini Christmas cakes, each treat in this collection will make your holiday season sweeter.
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Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

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Chocolate and mint are matches in holiday flavor heaven. Here, the dark chocolate bundt cake gets artistic Christmas cake decorations via crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.

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Chocolate-Berry Wreath Cake

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Wonderful with just the vanilla sour cream topping, vanilla cake is transformed into a sensational treat with the addition of berries and a shimmery strawberry jam coating. A white chocolate bow rounds out these Christmas cake decorations to make it look like a wreath!

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Apple-Maple Spice Cake

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Make this Christmas apple cake extra special by using a geometric bundt pan. Filled with favorite holiday flavors like nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, this perfect-for-a-crowd dessert serves 12. Top the finished cake with a rich caramel apple sauce.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Jubilee Bundt Pan, $38, Williams Sonoma

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Apricot-Bourbon Fruitcake

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Wrap up a classic holiday dinner with this totally modern take on the Christmas fruit cake. Holiday touches like thyme sprigs (reminiscent of evergreen trees) and bourbon (ooh, that warmth!) make this a traditional Christmas cake with some extra flair.

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Gingerbread Cookie Cake

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The best Christmas cake decorations are desserts in themselves—like these gingerbread cookies. Brush with powdered sugar to make it look like they're celebrating on a snowy day.

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Hot Cocoa Brownie Cake

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Don't be fooled by these pillowy, elegant Christmas cake decorations: Preparation of this dessert is a cinch thanks to its brownie-mix base. Just cook according to package directions and top with dollops of our homemade marshmallow-coffee frosting.

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Rum-Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake

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Upgrade a traditional bundt cake recipe with light rum and vanilla beans for an easy Christmas cake. For a decorative finish, bake the batter in a patterned tube pan and shower the finished product with powdered sugar.

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Citrus Tannenbaum Sheet Cake

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A Christmas tree made out of candied citrus slices will bring a smile to the faces of adults and children alike. The real joy, however, comes from the moist traditional Christmas cake with a hint of citrus that lies beneath.

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Hazelnut Truffle Cake

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This flourless torte is rich and spirited thanks to the flavor it gains from Frangelico and a chocolaty hazelnut spread. A boozy whipped cream and chocolate-hazelnut drizzle make for pretty Christmas cake decorations.

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Mocha Buche de Noel

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Bring back a holiday classic! This traditional Christmas cake includes rolled chocolate cake, cream cheese frosting, and decorative sugared cranberries for the ultimate holiday dessert.

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Dulce de Leche Cake

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Kick your classic white cake mix up a notch with shredded orange peel and layers of creamy dulce de leche. Coat with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramelized sugar for a holiday decorated cake that is sure to wow guests.

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Chocolate and Vanilla Red Velvet Cake

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Sandwiched between layers of crimson red velvet cake is a mascarpone-vanilla bean filling. On top, a creamy layer of chocolate ganache adds decadence and shine to this Christmas cake recipe.

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Coffee-Mallow Torte

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Who says a decadent Christmas cake recipes require baking? This frozen torte pairs perfectly with a warm cup of coffee or tea served post-holiday meal.

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Bourbon-Chocolate Tipsy Cake

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Bourbon and coffee crystals add depth of flavor to this super moist, adults-only Christmas cake recipe. Bake the cake up to two days in advance, so all that's left is to make and drizzle the sauce over the top the day it's served.

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Coconut Layer Cake

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For all of you coconut fans, this winter white option is bursting with the sweet and fruity ingredient. Shredded coconut adds texture to the traditional Christmas cake's filling, while toasted coconut chips garnish the lovely creme fraiche frosting.

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Harvest Carrot Cake with Skillet Fruit

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Canned pumpkin or mashed sweet potato are the perfect seasonal addition to classic carrot cake. Walnuts, homemade buttercream frosting, and a skillet fruit topping complete this piled-high final course.

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Butterscotch Marble Cake

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Surprise! This showy cake starts with a mix. Butterscotch pudding makes it moist, while homemade chocolate icing increases the sweetness of this easy Christmas cake.

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Maple-Mascarpone Cheesecake

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A blend of sweet maple syrup and tangy Greek yogurt smothers the top of this mascarpone-enhanced Christmas cake recipe. Top with candied walnuts to add a savory crunch to the creamy dessert.

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Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake

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Packed with pecans, cranberries, and seasoned apples, this Christmas fruit cake recipe is showy and sweet. We can't blame you if you never go back to the original.

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Red Velvet Cake Roll

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To keep this light-but-luscious Christmas log cake from cracking, roll it up with the filling before it cools. This ensures a beautiful red velvet cake spiral.

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Chocolaty Harvest Fruit-Topped Cake

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A Christmas fruit cake doesn't have to be crunchy and dense. An assortment of seasonal spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, flavor this warmly-spiced cake. Its garnish of warm harvest fruit, gooey caramel, and chocolate whipped cream make it perfect for cool weather.

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Orange Ancho Marble Cake

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Finely shredded orange peel gives this pretty chocolate-and-vanilla swirled cake a festive feel. Chile powder adds a touch of heat to this Christmas cake recipe.

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Dark Chocolate-Raspberry Cakes

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Single-serving cakes are an easy dessert option sure to please holiday guests. Chocolate mini Christmas cakes are filled with fresh raspberries and glazed with an ultra-rich icing. You can also opt for Christmas cupcakes if you want to go the individual-serving route.

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Easy Orange-Carrot Cake

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The citrusy oranges and sweet, creamy frosting prove complementary in this holiday carrot cake. Warm spices, including ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves scent the crowd-pleasing cake recipe.

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Cranberry-Pear-Walnut Cake

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This cinnamon-spiced Christmas fruit cake recipe features pieces of cranberry, pear, and walnut with every bite. A warm homemade caramel sauce is the icing on the cake. Literally.

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Cappuccino Cheesecake

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Sure, one layer of cheesecake is good, but four scrumptious layers are even better. An espresso-flavored filling tops chocolate coffee ganache and a wafer-cookie crust. Sour cream icing finishes the dessert for one indulgent Christmas cake recipe.

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Gianduja Mousse Cake

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Chocolate-lovers, rejoice! This dense Christmas cake recipe boasts a generous helping of fudgy chocolate and a hint of hazelnut.

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Black Forest Cake Roll

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We can hardly keep track of all the scrumptious elements in the swirls of these holiday cakes. From whipped cream and brandied cherries to a chocolate ganache coating, the festive roll is packed to the brim.

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Hazelnut-Pear Torte with Dulce de Leche Filling

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This towering torte looks and tastes delicious. Layers of hazelnut holiday cake sandwiches juicy pears and a rich, creamy dulce de leche filling.

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Crustless Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce

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This holiday season, save the cranberry sauce for dessert. By removing the crust and adding sugared cranberries, you can give your traditional cheesecake an easy Christmas cake makeover.

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Cherry Polenta Cake

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Tart dried cherries add a flavor contrast to the grappa-laced whipped cream that tops this festive cornmeal cake. Make a set of these into elegant holiday decorated cakes by using a large doily to create a charming powdered sugar design.

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