Forget the cookies and pie. Add a little more “celebration” to your Christmas table by baking a cake. Maybe it’s dusted with powdered sugar, maybe it’s coated in icing or piled high with frosting.
This list of Christmas cake recipes is perfect for big family gatherings, holiday potlucks, office parties and all that good stuff. One slice and everyone will wonder why cake doesn’t show up every year!
9. White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Bundt Cake
For this copycat of the Nothing Bundt Cakes bestseller, you start with two smart shortcuts: white cake mix and white chocolate pudding mix. Then raspberry preserves are layered through the batter and white chocolate pieces are folded right in. Finish the cake by piping thick cream cheese frosting on the sides. Top with fresh raspberries and more white chocolate for a festive holiday treat.
White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, milk and oil.
- Chop up the white chocolate and add it to the cake batter.
- Coat a bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the pan. Dot 1/4 cup of the raspberry preserves onto the cake batter. Use a knife to swirl it around.
- Repeat this process two more times with the cake batter and preserves.
- Bake 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer.
- Invert the completely cooled cake onto a serving plate.
- Fill a piping bag with the frosting and snip off the tip of the bag. Pipe frosting along the lines created by the bundt pan. Garnish the top of the cake with fresh berries and additional white chocolate, if desired.
8. Bourbon Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze
With bourbon, sour cream and maple syrup, this rich, moist bundt cake is perfect for your holiday dessert table. Sour cream lends a subtle tang and incredible softness, and the lemon zest makes each bite feel light.
No heavy frosting is necessary, as a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar mixed with milk and maple syrup is all you need. For added flavor, serve this cake alongside vanilla ice cream or some candied pecans for a butter pecan-style dessert.
Bourbon Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy. Alternatively, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour, alternating with the sour cream. Then add the bourbon.
- Coat a bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack before inverting onto a cake plate.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and maple syrup until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake.
7. Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake
Rich and buttery, and finished with salted caramel, this bundt is easy enough for any holiday party. The quick stovetop butter sauce is poured over the warm cake and absorbed, leaving the interior tender and moist.
A drizzle of caramel and sprinkling of flaky sea salt add a hint of sweet and salty. This bundt is easily baked ahead, so it’s one less thing you need to worry about on a hectic holiday.
Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a bundt pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cup of butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. (Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl). Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Beat to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry mixture until incorporated.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Make the butter sauce: in a small saucepan combine the butter, sugar, milk and vanilla. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes smooth.
- Prick holes in the warm cake and pour the butter sauce over the cake. Do not worry if there's a lot of sauce – it will all sink in.
- Cool the cake completely in the bundt pan on a wire rack. Invert the room temperature cake onto a serving plate. Top with caramel sauce and flaky sea salt.
6. Bananas Foster Layer Cake
This tall, elegant layer cake uses rum, brown sugar, and ripe bananas to bring all the flavor of the classic flambéed dessert. It features rum, brown sugar, and ripe bananas. Sour cream keeps the banana cake moist and tender, while the frosting gets its flavor from homemade Foster sauce beaten right into the buttercream.
Any leftover sauce becomes a pretty drizzle that runs down the sides. Edible flowers on top make it extra special for a Christmas celebration.
Bananas Foster Layer Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare four 8-inch round cake pans: using parchment paper, trace the circle of the cake pan and cut out four parchment circles. Spray the bottom of the cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, then lay one parchment circle down in each pan. Spray the parchment again with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Using a low speed on the mixer, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Then add the bananas and sour cream and stir until just combined.
- Measure out 3 cups of batter for each of the 4 cake pans. Pour the batter into the pans and give them a little shimmy to level out the batter. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is cooling, make the frosting: beat the confectioners sugar and salted butter together in a large bowl until creamy. Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat, and allow to melt together until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the foster sauce into the buttercream and beat until combined. The consistency should be spreadable. Reserve the remaining foster sauce to drizzle over the top.
5. Creamy Butter Cake
A copycat of the California Pizza Kitchen signature dessert, this recipe has a buttery cake layer atop a cheesecake layer. All baked in individual ramekins, each mini cake is golden brown on top, with a soft, rich center.
Since each one is a single serving, there’s no need to slice or fuss when you’re ready for dessert following a large holiday meal. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Creamy Butter Cake Recipe (California Pizza Kitchen)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 6 ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the cake layer: Beat butter, sugar and cream cheese together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in the egg, vanilla and salt.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour until incorporated. Pour 6 Tbsp. cake mixture into each ramekin.
- Clean the bowl of the stand mixer and place it back on the stand. (Alternatively, do the next step in a separate large bowl.)
- Make the cheesecake layer: Beat the sugar and cream cheese together. Slowly beat in the egg white and vanilla until combined. Pour 1 Tbsp. of the cheesecake batter on top of the cake layer in each ramekin.
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake 45- 50 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Transfer ramekins to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, run a knife around the edges of each cake to release them from the ramekins.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream.
4. Double Lemon Cream Cake
This bright lemon bundt shows that not all Christmas cakes need to be spiced or chocolate. Three full tablespoons of lemon zest and more fresh juice are baked into the batter, while sour cream keeps the dense crumb moist and rich.
A second helping of lemon is added when a vanilla glaze is poured over the cake, with a bit more zest stirred in. This cake provides a nice contrast to all the sweet treats on the holiday dessert table.
Double Lemon Cream Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, combine the lemon juice, vanilla, milk and sour cream.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and lemon zest. Blend the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture until fully combined.
- Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before turning out onto a serving dish.
- To make the glaze, whisk all ingredients together. Pour over cooled cake.
3. Flourless Chocolate Cake
The slices are rich, dense and fudgy, like something between a brownie and chocolate fudge. The semisweet and milk chocolate are melted with butter and a hint of espresso powder and then folded into whipped eggs and baked in a water bath.
Then you pile on a heap of whipped cream that’s been swirled with fresh raspberry puree. Naturally gluten free, so everyone at the holiday table can have a slice.
Best Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lay a springform pan on a piece of parchment paper and trace around it with a pencil. Cut out the circle. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the parchment circle in the pan and then spray the parchment paper. Wrap the bottom half of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan into a large roasting pan.
- In a small saucepan or double boiler, combine the butter and both chocolates. Over the lowest heat, melt everything together until smooth. Quickly remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl. In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder and vanilla and stir. Pour the espresso mixture into the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until they start to lose color, about 8 minutes. Beat in the salt. In two or three stages, start adding the eggs to the chocolate mixture and gently fold in. (It will take some time until everything is thoroughly incorporated – just be patient and slow with it). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Place the roasting pan into the oven and pour warm water until it comes about 1/3 of the way up the springform pan. Bake for 35 minutes until set.
- Remove the springform pan from the roasting pan, take off the aluminum foil and allow to cool to room temperature. Then cover and place the pan into the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
- Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the whipped cream and sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. Once it reaches the desired consistency, gently fold in the pureed raspberries.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator, release it from the springform pan and slide it onto a serving dish. Top with whipped cream and additional berries.
2. Holiday Spice Cake
This nostalgic bundt begins in a saucepan, where raisins cook up in sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. They become plump and juicy. Then they’re folded into the flour, which gives you an incredibly dense, incredibly moist cake that’s packed with holiday flavor.
Just before you serve it, you can give it a nice snowy coating of powdered sugar. If you do it earlier, it’ll absorb into the cake.
Holiday Spice Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Place all ingredients except for the flour and baking soda into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Pour the warm ingredients into the flour mixture and fold gently to combine.
- Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into the bundt pan and smooth the surface. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan. Turn out the cooled cake onto a serving dish and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
1. Mini Gingerbread Bundt Cakes
Mini gingerbread cakes are perfect for sharing at holiday parties or as gifts. No cutting is necessary. The warm spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and fresh grated ginger, along with rich molasses, provide a classic gingerbread taste. Sour cream helps keep these little cakes moist.
You’ll whip up the entire batter in a single bowl with a wooden spoon. Finish off the gingerbread cakes with a drizzle of lemon glaze and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for a snow-like appearance.
Mini Gingerbread Bundt Cakes Recipe with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine flour, both sugars, spices and salt in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sour cream, molasses, ginger and vanilla together. Then whisk the water-baking soda mixture into the egg mixture.
- Fold wet ingredients into flour mixture until combined. Spray mini bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter about 2/3 of the way into each mold.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before turning out onto a wire rack.
- Whisk all of the frosting ingredients together in a small bowl. Pipe or spread over the gingerbread cakes and sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar just before serving.
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