35 Festive Cake Recipes Perfect For The Winter Holiday Season
Bake away your winter blues.
As soon as the temperatures dip, there's no doubt that our ovens are ready and preheated to bake all our favorite winter cakes. Whether you're planning the dessert spread for your Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah get-togethers (or simply just in need of a mid-week treat in February), these winter-friendly cake recipes will more than warm you up. As far as we're concerned, one bite of our cranberry cake can instantly chase away any and all winter blues!
Winter brings snow days, ugly sweaters, but most importantly, cakes we dream about the rest of the year. There's almost too many seasonal greats to count, like figgy pudding, fruitcake, bûche de noël (yule log cake), not to mention sticky toffee pudding and Battenberg cake. Try them all and you just might find yourself outshining everyone on Great British Baking Show this holiday season. 😉
Here at Delish, we think it's no coincidence that the best citrus arrives in winter; the tart, zippy flavor of orange and lemon always carry us through 'til warmer temperatures creep back up. So why not add that bit of sunshine to your cakes? Our winter upgrade to a standard pineapple upside-down cake—our citrus upside-down cake—might just be your new year-round favorite. The same is absolutely true of our lemon meringue cheesecake, our cranberry mimosa breakfast cake, and our almost flourless chocolate-orange cake. They're instant day-brighteners and incredibly easy to whip up.
Get your hygge on all season long by cooking up all of our cozy winter recipes, including our favorite winter desserts, our top winter dinners, our best winter salads, and our fun winter cocktails.
Gingerbread Cake
Want your kitchen to smell like Christmas? Make gingerbread cake! Enjoy it warm or cold, for breakfast or after dinner, plain or topped with whipped cream, from a plate with a fork or straight out of your hand. No judgment here.
Get the Gingerbread Cake recipe.
Swiss Roll
Swiss roll is the chocolate cake you should be making for every winter occasion. This rich cocoa cake roll is filled with fluffy whipped cream and covered with chocolate ganache for a dessert that is light and creamy and intensely satisfying all at the same time.
Get the Swiss Roll recipe.
Cranberry-Mimosa Breakfast Cake
Cranberries, oranges, and bubbly Prosecco incorporated into a tender cake? And for breakfast too? This is exactly what Christmas morning dreams are made of.
Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska is the classic, nostalgic dessert that we’re bringing back. Basically a glorified ice cream cake, this towering dessert will be the talk of any dinner party you serve it at (especially when you cut into it for the very first time—be prepared for ooh’s and aah’s).
Get the Baked Alaska recipe.
Figgy Pudding
Contrary to the name, Figgy Pudding isn't pudding (at least not by America's definition). "Pudding" in this case refers to the British style of a steamed cake-like dessert that will perfume your entire house as it bakes, thanks to its dreamy combination of spices.
Get the Figgy Pudding recipe.
Snowman Cupcakes
Baby, it’s cold outside! We can’t think of a better way to welcome the first snow of the season than with these adorable snowman cupcakes. Marshmallow snowmen sit atop sweet, frosted coconut cupcakes to create a dessert guaranteed to put you in a festive mood.
Get the Snowman Cupcakes recipe.
Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake)
Bûche de Noël cakes are a French Christmas tradition dating back to the 19th century. Decorate it like a log, as is traditional, or try any other variety of frosting and topping combos—it's all about that gorgeous swirl, so anything else is a bonus.
Get the Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake) recipe.
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Calling all chocolate dessert lovers—this fudgy Bundt cake is really something special. We’re partial to covering it in a rich ganache and serving it after a nice dinner, but keep it plain and it can be the perfect indulgent Christmas brunch or midday pick-me-up.
Get the Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
If you’re looking for a showstopping, mouthwatering dessert to impress dinner guests, look no further than this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe. The layers of graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, bright yellow lemon curd, and a big swoop of toasted meringue will get everyone in a frenzy even before their first bite.
Get the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe.
Cranberry Cake
This cranberry pound cake is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The cranberries burst and release all of their juices while baking, making each bite extra exciting. The sugar topping adds a subtle crunch too, and the sour cream keeps this cake moist for days.
Get the Cranberry Cake recipe.
Citrus Upside-Down Cake
We used slices from navel, blood orange, Cara Cara oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, but really any of your favorite wintery citrus can be used for this stunner of an upside-down cake.
Get the Citrus Upside-Down Cake recipe.
Butter Pecan Cheesecake
Toasty, buttery pecans turn a classic cheesecake into an even more decadent and rich dessert. It’s perfect as is, but topped off with whipped cream and even more pecans makes it the best slice of cheesecake you'll ever try.
Get the Butter Pecan Cheesecake recipe.
Rum Cake
Popular in the Caribbean, rum cake is a vanilla Bundt cake that has rum in the batter. Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to the cake batter too, but we have a more accessible (and quicker!) homemade version.
Get the Rum Cake recipe.
Fruitcake
Fruitcake is an iconic holiday dessert, and most of the time, it isn't getting the love it deserves. This is the one you should take the risk on. Freshly baked, fruitcake is delicious and studded with dry fruit and pecans and warmly spiced—we love it with a glaze, but feel free to skip!
Get the Fruitcake recipe.
Marshmallow Cake
Classic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not-too-sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and looks great swirled or toasted on the outside. Pipe it on to make pretty swirls and rosettes, or use a kitchen torch for a s'mores vibe.
Get the Marshmallow Cake recipe.
Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Gooey, puffy, spiced sugar-filled cinnamon rolls are truly what dreams are made of, but we can’t always get it together to make them from scratch. This poke cake helps you skip all the finicky rolling and proofing, but still get everything you love (including the cream cheese frosting!).
Get the Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake recipe.
Christmas Tree Cake
Nine layers of breathtaking beauty! This Christmas tree cake is perfect for when you really want to show off this holiday season. We recommend using a homemade cake recipe, like our chocolate or yellow cakes, but boxed cake mix will work too.
Get the Christmas Tree Cake recipe.
Red Velvet Cake
Everyone should have a good red velvet cake recipe in their back pocket—and this is it. It has a decadent chocolate flavor and the creamiest cream cheese frosting, and the striking red color makes it unforgettable (and perfect for the holidays!).
Get the Red Velvet Cake recipe.
Easy Sponge Cake
If you’re looking for a simple celebration cake, one that’s perfect for everything from birthdays to holidays, look no further than this light and fluffy sponge cake. The best part? You can have this entire cake ready in just about an hour.
Get the Easy Sponge Cake recipe.
Chocolate Cheesecake
Have you ever wondered what a gooey chocolate brownie paired with cheesecake would taste like? Look no further! This chocolate cheesecake recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream. It’s rich, silky smooth, moist, and almost fudge-like—everything you want in a chocolate dessert.
Get the Chocolate Cheesecake recipe.
