44 Holly Jolly Christmas Cake Ideas

Read Time: 19 mins

44 Holly Jolly Christmas Cake Ideas1/44 Chocolate Yule Log 13 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Chocolate Yule Log Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: A Yule log cake, also called a Buche de Noel, is a rolled sponge cake shaped and decorated to resemble a wooden log. This fanciful dessert is a holiday baking tradition that dates back to 19th-century France. This particular chocolate Yule log recipe from Bernadette Colvin of Tomball, Texas, has been a favorite Christmas dessert for her family. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

To decorate, make it easy on

A yule log cake, also called a Buche de Noel, is a rolled sponge cake shaped and decorated to resemble a wooden log. This fanciful dessert is a holiday baking tradition that dates back to 19th century France, and it’s one of those Christmas cake ideas we can’t get enough of. Taste of HomeGrandma’s Red Velvet CakeA stunning red velvet cake topped with snowy white icing is the perfect holiday centerpiece. Make sure you have plenty of red food coloring on hand (we know it sees a lot of use this time of year!). To decorate, make it easy on

yourself and top with small bottlebrush trees

yourself and top with small bottlebrush trees. Get Recipe 2/44 3/44 Eggnog Tres Leches Cake 2 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 1 hour 5 min Servings 15 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: When the holidays roll around, my family eagerly anticipates sampling this cake. Its rich eggnog flavor is delightful. —Jan Valdez, Chicago, Illinois During the holidays, give a classic tres leches cake a seasonal makeover. This recipe uses eggnog in place of heavy cream. It’s one of our favorite ways to use eggnog this time of year. 4/44 Mint Swirl Fudge Cake 2 Reviews Test

Kitchen Approved Mint Swirl Fudge Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Mint pairs with a silky, mild chocolate flavor for this colorful, beautiful cake that will be the talk of the holiday buffet. —Heidi Kelly, Norwood, Missouri Creme de menthe gives this cake its signature color and flavor. Guests will be pleasantly surprised to a see a minty ribbon when you slice into this Bundt cake. 5/44 Baklava Cheesecake 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 2 hours 5 min Servings 16 servings Go to

—Aryanna Gamble, New Orleans, Louisiana

Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My unique baklava cheesecake makes a grand display for office parties and other special events. —Aryanna Gamble, New Orleans, Louisiana The phyllo crust of this cheesecake gives this Christmas dessert a wonderful crunch. For a holiday look, garnish with rosemary sprigs and sugared cranberries. 6/44 Upside-Down Fruitcake 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 55 min Servings 9 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I get tired of people bad-mouthing fruitcake. It’s one of my favorite holiday flavors and I look forward to it every year. This year, I decided to combine it

with everyone’s favorite, upside-down cake

with everyone’s favorite, upside-down cake. Try to say no to this fruitcake—I dare you! —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin Looking for Christmas cake ideas you’ve never seen before? This recipe turns a classic fruitcake on its head—literally. This cake is topped with plenty of holiday fruits and a good splash of bourbon (you could also use rum). 7/44 Reindeer Cake 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 25 min Servings 20 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Whether you turn this cake into a reindeer or decorate it with your own creative vision,

Embrace your baking prowess!

it’s a three-layer stunner that will command center stage at your next holiday get-together. Embrace your baking prowess! —Lauren Knoelke, Des Moines, IA Who doesn’t love a cake that goes over the top—especially for the most festive holiday of the year. This reindeer cake uses melted chocolate for antlers and buttercream icing for all the piped details. 8/44 Minted Chocolate Torte 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Minted Chocolate Torte Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Our family has enjoyed this remarkable layered cake for years. It’s

a favorite for many occasions

a favorite for many occasions. —Barbara Humiston, Tampa, Florida This torte (that’s a cake with many thin layers) is a wonderful addition to your Christmas sweet spread. Topped with a fudgy frosting and crushed mint candies, how could anyone resist? Taste of Home Vanilla Ring CakeOur Test Kitchen uses this classic vanilla ring cake to make this stacked Bundt cake tree. To hold the tiers in place, use bamboo skewers. Then top with plenty of icing and holiday sprinkles and sugar. Go to Recipe 9/44 10/44 Mama’s Spice Cake 6 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Mama’s Spice Cake Recipe photo by

Whenever I get a craving for a tasty old-fashioned treat, I make this cake

Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 5 min Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Whenever I get a craving for a tasty old-fashioned treat, I make this cake. Great cooks in my family have been baking it for generations, and their families have been enjoying the wonderful spice flavor and rich frosting. —Nancy Duty, Jacksonville, Florida Got a craving for old-fashioned desserts this holiday season? Get some Christmas cake ideas from Grandma’s recipe box, including this spice cake. It’s flavored with cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and sage leaves for a

truly seasonal look

truly seasonal look. 11/44 Gingerbread Bundt Cake 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 10 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This gorgeous gingerbread Bundt cake’s light and airy yet moist texture has made me a true fan. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia The holidays are a great excuse to break out festive cake pans. Use a fun Bundt pan to create this gingerbread cake. The best part of this style of cake: a dusting of confectioners’ sugar is all you need to decorate. 12/44

In each slice, you’ll also get the crunch of walnuts

Cranberry Layer Cake 72 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 50 min Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I adapted a Bundt cake recipe to create this layer cake. Cranberries, walnuts and homemade frosting make it taste so delicious that you’d never guess it starts with a convenient cake mix. —Sandy Burkett, Galena, Ohio This cake combines cranberry and orange, one of the season’s best flavor combos. In each slice, you’ll also get the crunch of walnuts. 13/44 Snowman Cake 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Snowman Cake Recipe photo by Christine Ma for Taste of Home

It’s rich yet not too sweet

Total Time 1 hour 30 min Servings 16-20 servings plus 12 cupcakes Go to Recipe 14/44 Coffee Cheesecake 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Coffee Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 30 min Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Coffee lovers will line up for this rich coffee cheesecake. It’s creamy and just mildly sweet, which allows the coffee flavor to shine through. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen For an after-dinner pick-me-up, serve this coffee cheesecake. It’s rich yet not too sweet. And be sure to follow these steps to prevent your

cheesecake from cracking

cheesecake from cracking. 15/44 Eggnog Pound Cake 4 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings 20 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: When you’re having company, this cake—served with a custard sauce and a dash of nutmeg—inspires oohs and aahs. This cake starts with a package of yellow cake mix and then gets infused with plenty of flavor thanks to eggnog and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Serve slices with a spoonful of velvety custard sauce. 16/44 Gingerbread Roll Cake 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Gingerbread Yule Log Recipe photo by Taste of Home

When our children come home for the holidays, I make sure to bake this

Total Time 40 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This nicely seasoned gingerbread holds a sweet, creamy filling. This gingerbread yule log is surprisingly light, so it’s easy to indulge in a generous slice after a hearty meal. —Bernadette Colvin, Lexington, Kentucky 17/44 Rich Cranberry Coffee Cake 34 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Rich Cranberry Coffee Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 15 min Servings about 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: When our children come home for the holidays, I make sure to bake this

cranberry coffee cake

cranberry coffee cake. I always use fresh berries in season, then put a few bags in the freezer for later on. That way, we can enjoy this moist cake any time we want! —Mildred Schwartzentruber, Tavistock, Ontario Hosting a holiday brunch? You can still make a Christmas cake—just make it coffee cake! This recipe uses tart cranberries and rich cream cheese. 18/44 Coconut Pound Cake 4 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Easy Coconut Pound Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 15 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: “This cake is easy