Our Best Ever Christmas Cake Recipes

It's not a Christmas feast without dessert on the table. And while there are plenty of ways to sweeten the holiday, there's nothing like the smell of freshly baked cake wafting through the kitchen that makes festive moments more special. From warm and comforting gingerbread to creamy bites of eggnog, these cake recipes are fun, festive, and easy to make at home for (or with!) your loved ones.

Photo, Erik Putz.

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Brown-Butter Icing

Molasses and ginger impart this gingerbread layer cake with loads of comforting holiday flavours. Paired with the deep rich flavour of brown-butter, this cake will have you asking for seconds. Get our Gingerbread Layer Cake With Brown-Butter Icing recipe.

Produced by Aimee Nishitoba, Photo by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari.

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars

This festive cheesecake has all the flavours of the classic holiday candy. If you can get hold of peppermint oil, it will give an even more vibrant mint taste. Get our Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Bars recipe.

Photo, Erik Putz

Chocolate-Orange Jaffa Cake

Our riff on the U.K.'s Jaffa cake cookies is utterly irresistible. (Orange and chocolate are an underused—but dynamic—duo.) This easy cake is gorgeous on its own, but the glossy chocolate glaze adds the perfect touch of elegance. Get our Chocolate-Orange Jaffa Cake recipe.

Ultimate fruitcake recipe. (Photo, Erik Putz.)

The Ultimate Holiday Fruitcake

Readers used to write and call every year asking for this recipe. Originally in our December 1997 issue, it is moist, rich and delicious (thanks to a secret ingredient or two). No wonder it’s Canada’s favourite fruitcake! Get our Ultimate Holiday Fruitcake Recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Pink Coconut Snowballs

These vibrantly pink mini cakes make a sweet and stunning addition to any holiday dessert table. Get our Pink Coconut Snowballs recipe.

Andreas Trauttmansdorff

Ice Cream Fruitcake

This no-bake dessert is a cool twist on the traditional Christmas fruitcake, drizzled with sherry-infused berry sauce. It's also one of our most requested holiday recipes. Get our Ice Cream Fruitcake Recipe.

Recipe, Zeke Goodwin; Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; Photo, Christie Vuong; Food styling, Ashley Denton; Prop styling, Madeleine Johari.

Milk Punch Marble Cake

This twist on tres leches cake can be shaken up in no time with store-bought pound cake. Caribbean milk punch is a silky, booze-forward drink studded with grated coconut.  This recipe is courtesy of Zeke Goodwin, a Toronto-based food stylist and pastry chef. And if you have the time, bake the marble cake, too! Get our Milk Punch Marble Cake recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Coconut Shag Cake

Coated with crisp coconut flakes, each forkful is light, airy and unbelievably delicious — everything you want in a cake. Get our Coconut Shag Cake recipe.

Cake design by Camilla Wynne, Produced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo, Photography by Christie Vuong, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari, Food Styling by Michelle Lucas Larving

Baked Alaska

As impressive to serve at a party today as it was in the 1950s, this retro dessert is deceptively easy to pull off. Get our Baked Alaska recipe.

(Recipes by Irene Ngo, Produced by Stephanie Han Kim, Photography by Erik Putz, Food Styling by Michelle Rabin, Prop styling by Renée Drexler)

Eggnog Snowflake Cake Bites

Cut these delicious cake bites into diamonds and garnish with icing sugar to make a beautiful (and edible) holiday snowflake. Get our Eggnog Snowflake Cake Bites recipe.

Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Rum-Raisin Bundt Cake

Ease the holiday rush with a Rum-Raisin Bundt Cake, perfect for a lazy breakfast, afternoon tea or any family gathering. Let people serve themselves — because that’s how they’ll get the biggest piece. Get our rum-raisin bundt cake recipe.