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    Home » Recipes » Recipe Collections

    49 Holiday Cake Recipes

    Modified: Oct 28, 2026 · Published: Nov 17, 2016 by Jolina · This post may contain affiliate links · 40 Comments

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    Pin for 49 Holiday Cake Recipes.
    Pin for The Best Festive Holiday Cake Recipes.
    Pin for 49 Holiday Cake Recipes.

    Explore these 49 holiday cake recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. From simple recipes to showstopper desserts, these will inspire you to bring cake this year instead of pie!

    (Check these out if you have leftover egg whites or leftover egg yolks from your holiday baking.)

    Collage of holiday cake slices.


    If you’ve ever wondered what’s a good cake to serve at a holiday gathering, you’re in for a treat! 

    49 Holiday Cake Recipes

    Discover festive cake ideas that would suit all your family gatherings this holiday season. From popular cakes like yule log cake and crema de fruta Christmas cake to popular Christmas flavors like eggnog and pumpkin, from layer cakes to bundt cakes to cheesecakes, find your holiday inspiration here!

    Image for Bûche de Noel (Yule Log)
    Photo Credit: www.plattertalk.com

    Bûche de Noel (Yule Log)

    Learn how to make a Yule log cake, a special Christmas dessert with a soft chocolate sponge and creamy frosting.

    Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)

    Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)

    Ube cake is a staple in any Filipino celebration. Light and fluffy ube cake layers frosted with the most luxurious ube buttercream. It doesn’t only look stunning, it’s mouthwateringly good too! Read on and find out why this recipe is a reader favorite and consistently has a 5-star rating.

    Filipino Crema de Fruta Recipe

    Crema de Fruta Recipe

    Crema de Fruta is a Filipino dessert made of delicious layers of soft fluffy cake, rich creamy custard, and fruit blanketed in gelatine. Fun, festive, definitely deserves a place in your celebrations.

    Overhead shot of no bake eggnog cheesecake.

    Easy No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake Recipe

    If you’re looking for the best holiday dessert, this no bake eggnog cheesecake is it! A delicious way to get into the holiday spirit. Easy to make, no need to bake, make-ahead, and packed with all the wonderful, warm flavors of the season.

    Delicious Biscoff cake topped with Biscoff biscuits on a serving platter.

    Biscoff Cake with Biscoff Frosting

    This Biscoff cake recipe is made of tender vanilla cake layers, rich Lotus Biscoff spread filling and a delightfully creamy Biscoff frosting. It’s the best cookie butter cake and so easy to make! Keep reading for lots of tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos.

    A slice of pistachio sans rival on a plate.

    The Best Pistachio Sans Rival

    Pistachio sans rival is a mouthwatering variation of the popular Filipino cake, sans rival. Layers of crunchy and chewy pistachio meringue plus luxurious French buttercream, this is absolutely a cake for the ages.

    Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Frosting

    Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Frosting

    Red velvet cake with ermine frosting is the red velvet cake of the good old days. It’s not weighed down with heavy cream cheese but paired with the most delicate whipped ermine frosting. The combination is delicious!

    Vanilla raspberry cake decorated with fresh raspberries.

    Raspberry Vanilla Cake

    Raspberry vanilla cake — your favorite vanilla layer cake filled and frosted with raspberry buttercream. Soft, tender, delicious! And it’s very easy to make too.

    Image for Garam Masala Spiced Gingerbread Cake with Nolen Gur
    Photo Credit: www.funfoodfrolic.com

    Garam Masala Spiced Gingerbread Cake with Nolen Gur

    Garam Masala Spiced Gingerbread Cake is my adaption of classic Gingerbread Cake with a hint of very Indian Garam Masala and sweetened with Nolen/Kajur Gur

    Image for Cranberry Orange Holiday Cake
    Photo Credit: asideofsweet.com

    Cranberry Orange Holiday Cake

    Amazing rustic layered cranberry orange holiday cake recipe - perfect for a Christmas wedding or a holiday party. It's doable no matter your skill level.

    Image for Fluffy Coconut Flour Cake Recipe
    Photo Credit: healyeatsreal.com

    Fluffy Coconut Flour Cake Recipe

    This coconut flour cake recipe is light, fluffy and delicately sweet. Its paleo, keto and the perfect healthy dessert for any occasion!

    Chocolate overload cake with chocolate fudge frosting.

    Chocolate Overload Cake

    This chocolate overload cake is what chocolate dreams are made of — a tender chocolate layer cake frosted with a rich dark chocolate fudge frosting. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, and all your celebrations.

    Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe

    Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

    Chocolate chiffon cake with whipped cream frosting – chocolatey chiffon cake that’s light as air frosted with whipped vanilla cream that’s equally light and fluffy!

    Image for Irish Chocolate Cake with Baileys Buttercream Frosting
    Photo Credit: culinaryginger.com

    Irish Chocolate Cake with Baileys Buttercream Frosting

    This Irish Chocolate Cake with Baileys Buttercream Frosting. Layered chocolate cake with Baileys buttercream frosting & chocolate shards.

    Image for Chocolate Raspberry Cake for Christmas Dessert
    Photo Credit: www.monpetitfour.com

    Chocolate Raspberry Cake for Christmas Dessert

    This chocolate raspberry cake with mascarpone frosting is a decadent and festive holiday dessert that is simple to bake up and even easier to decorate!

    Image for Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
    Photo Credit: www.patisseriemakesperfect.co.uk

    Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

    I've taken Nigella's Chocolate Olive Oil Cake and added an orange creme au beurre and a chocolate cremeux. A great gluten free celebration cake.

    Image for Foolproof Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Fresh Berries
    Photo Credit: domesticate-me.com

    Foolproof Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Fresh Berries

    Simple, yet decadent, this super easy vegan chocolate cake recipe is guaranteed to become your new go-to. Feel free to change up the fruit seasonally!

    Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

    Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Buttercream

    Lemon cake with lemon curd filling – smooth and silky lemon curd reside between the layers of this soft lemony cake frosted with lemon buttercream. This is the ultimate lemon curd layer cake for lemon lovers. Did I mention there was lemon?

    Best Lemon Cheesecake

    The Best Lemon Cheesecake. Ever.

    The best lemon cheesecake. Ever. Exquisitely light and lemony. Perfectly sweet and tangy. Gorgeous sunshine yellow. Delightful coconut cookie crust and topped with lemony whipped cream. This is it, the perfect lemon cheesecake.

    Image for Lemon Beer Cake with Honey and Figs
    Photo Credit: www.thepetitecook.com

    Lemon Beer Cake with Honey and Figs

    Add a little beer to this light and citrusy dessert for a new take on a family favorite. This Lemon Beer Cake is a perfect option for breakfast or dessert.

    Image for Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
    Photo Credit: ciaoflorentina.com

    Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe

    Italian lemon olive oil cake, a mascarpone cake recipe with berries, lemon curd, blueberry sauce and blackberries.

    Image for Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake
    Photo Credit: anitalianinmykitchen.com

    Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake

    Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake recipe,an easy made from scratch, the perfect homemade breakfast, snack cake. An Italian sweet cake. Enjoy!            

    A slice of Japanese souffle cheesecake.

    Japanese Soufflé Cotton Cheesecake

    Japanese cheesecake (also called soufflé cheesecake or cotton cheesecake) is a soft and fluffy Japanese cake. While this also has a cream cheese base, unlike its Western counterparts which tend to be on the rich and decadent side, Japanese style cheesecake is light and delicate, not too sweet, a delight!

    Basque cheesecake showing the vibrant purple ube filling.

    Ube Basque Cheesecake

    Ube basque cheesecake is smooth, creamy and packed with the ube flavor you love. With its characteristic burnt exterior and a luxurious ube filling, it’s perfect for all your celebrations!

    A slice of bibingka cheesecake on a plate.

    The Best Bibingka Cheesecake Recipe

    Bibingka cheesecake is the latest and greatest Filipino dessert mashup that will make your tastebuds sing. Sweet and salty bibingka and creamy, dreamy cheesecake combine for a truly extraordinary treat.

    A piece of no bake pumpkin cheesecake bar with whipped cream topping.

    Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe

    These no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars will be one of the easiest desserts you’ll make this holiday season. No bake, can be made ahead, always comes out fabulous. The perfect way to end your epic Thanksgiving meal.

    A slice of Biscoff cheesecake on a plate.

    Lotus Biscoff Cheesecake Recipe

    Biscoff cheesecake is creamy, decadent and so good! It has a Biscoff cookie crust, a rich cheesecake filling, and topped with more cookie butter goodness. Just the kind of dessert to serve at birthdays, the holidays, and other celebrations.

    Overhead shot of pistachio cheesecake with whipped cream and chopped pistachios.

    Creamy Pistachio Cheesecake

    This is the best pistachio cheesecake ever — rich, creamy, packed with real pistachio flavor. And it’s very easy to make you won’t even need a water bath. I give lots of tips for perfect cheesecakes below. Check it out!

    top view of no bake orange cheesecake

    The Best No Bake Orange Cheesecake

    This is the best no bake orange cheesecake ever! It’s so easy to make, incredibly creamy, and bursting with bright and vibrant orange flavour. Make it in the winter when oranges are at their best, or in the warmer months for a delicious, refreshing treat.

    A slice of creamy ube cheesecake on a plate.

    Creamy No-Fail Ube Cheesecake Recipe

    This is the best and the original ube cheesecake recipe. The recipe that’s inspired so many copycats; it just goes to show how outstanding this recipe is. And it does have everything you’ve ever wanted in an ube dessert. Luxurious ube cheesecake filling on a bed of crunchy coconut cookie crust then topped with creamy coconut whipped cream. So good.

    A slice of baked matcha cheesecake on a plate.

    Baked Matcha Cheesecake Recipe

    Matcha cheesecake is rich, creamy and packed with that green tea flavor you love. With white chocolate in the batter and an Oreo cookie crust, it’s sure to become your new favorite matcha dessert.

    Image for Italian Cream Cheesecake
    Photo Credit: thecrumbycupcake.com

    Italian Cream Cheesecake

    Two layers of classic Italian Cream Cake and a complementary layer of coconut pecan cheesecake sandwiched in the middle make for one amazing dessert!

    Image for Raw Mixed Berry and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
    Photo Credit: downshiftology.com

    Raw Mixed Berry and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

    This raw cheesecake with a berry topping and vanilla bean center is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo...and one of my favorite holiday desserts.

    Eggless Tiramisu Recipe

    Eggless Tiramisu Recipe

    Eggless tiramisu is one the easiest desserts you’ll ever make. It’s creamy, chocolatey and a hit at every party. Make it ahead of time for stress-free hosting.

    A slice of ube tiramisu on a plate.

    The Best Ube Tiramisu Recipe

    Ube tiramisu is the no bake ube cake you’ve been waiting for. And unlike other tiramisu recipes, this recipe doesn’t contain eggs and only needs 7 ingredients, which makes it so easy to make! With its vibrant purple color and creamy dreamy texture, it’s destined to be the star of your celebrations.

    Pistachio tiramisu on a plate.

    Pistachio Tiramisu

    Pistachio tiramisu is made with creamy mascarpone cheese, luxurious pistachio cream and crunchy roasted pistachios. Make-ahead, no-bake, easy to make, feeds a crowd and so good!

    Easy Yema Cake Recipe

    Yema Cake Recipe with Stable Yema Frosting

    This yema cake recipe has everything you love about this favorite Filipino dessert. Soft and airy chiffon cake, rich and thick yema spread, and yema frosting that’s stable and so easy to decorate with.

    Overhead shot of mango chiffon cake.

    Mango Chiffon Cake with Whipped Mango Cream Frosting

    Mango chiffon cake is light and tender, frosted with the most delicate mango whipped cream, and filled with creamy mango curd. Use the season’s best mangoes for the ultimate summer treat or use frozen mangoes so you can enjoy this delightful cake all year.

    London Fog Cake

    London Fog Cake with Earl Grey Buttercream

    London fog cake with earl grey buttercream — layers of rich, moist, chocolate cake covered with luxurious earl grey Swiss meringue buttercream then topped with decadent salted caramel sauce. The components work perfectly together for one amazing cake.

    Image for Spiced Apple Cider Cake with Frosted Cranberries
    Photo Credit: www.mykitchenlove.com

    Spiced Apple Cider Cake with Frosted Cranberries

    Spiced Apple Cider Cake with Frosted Cranberries is perfect as a stunning centre pieces for any holiday event or a delicious Fall cake.

    Image for Vanilla Kiwi Cake with Blackberry Frosting
    Photo Credit: www.theflavorbender.com

    Vanilla Kiwi Cake with Blackberry Frosting

    A soft, moist, delicious vanilla cake with lemon kiwi curd filling and a speckled blackberry buttercream frosting. Perfect celebratory cake!

    A slice of ube pound cake on a plate.

    Ube Pound Cake

    Ube pound cake is a delicious twist on the classic pound cake. Swirls of purple marbled beautifully all over with hints of delightful ube in every bite of vanilla butter cake. The combination is divine. The recipe is easy to follow, too, with lots of tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos for perfect ube cake every time.

    Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pound Cake

    Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pound Cake

    Old fashioned buttermilk pound cake is a classic for a reason — moist, delicious, simple to make and so buttery! It’s an excellent addition to your recipe collection and a great way to use that extra buttermilk.

    Eggnog pound cake with eggnog glaze.

    Eggnog Pound Cake

    Eggnog pound cake is everyone’s favorite pound cake with a holiday twist. With a tender crumb and so easy to make, enjoy it all season long!

    Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

    Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

    This pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese filling will be the star of your Thanksgiving celebrations. It’s a perfectly spiced pumpkin cake with pecans and a cream cheese center. So delicious and full of the warm, cozy flavors of fall.

    Image for Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake
    Photo Credit: www.shinyhappybright.com

    Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake

    This clementine almond bundt cake recipe is fruity and delicious. It’s a wonderful winter recipe and makes for a great dessert at a holiday dinner.

    Image for Fresh Cranberry Cake Recipe: Cranberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake
    Photo Credit: blommi.com

    Fresh Cranberry Cake Recipe: Cranberry Sour Cream Bundt Cake

    Real ingredients make holiday foods better. This fresh cranberry cake recipe is an example of that.  The cranberry sour cream bundt cake features fresh cranberries and organic sour cream & butter. This Fresh Cranberry Cake recipe is a fun and festive that makes a pretty presentation with easy decorating. The fresh cranberries in this CranberryContinue Reading

    Image for Clementine cake with cranberry glaze (GF)
    Photo Credit: www.carolinescooking.com

    Clementine cake with cranberry glaze (GF)

    This clementine cake is easy to make and naturally gluten-free. A delicious citrus flavor, festive glaze & wonderfully moist. Perfect for sharing.

    Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake

    Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake (Video Recipe)

    This chocolate cherry bundt cake is packed with fresh cherries and dark chocolate chips. Easy to make and so good, serve to friends and family, bring to picnics, or simply enjoy with your favorite cup of coffee.

    Whatever you decide to make, I hope you enjoy baking it and sharing with family and friends.

    Happy holidays!

    What holiday cake did you bake this year? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!

    You can also find me on Pinterest and YouTube.

    And check out my Amazon Store to see the exact brands and tools I use for baking.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren

      November 20, 2016 at 9:49 pm

      Oh my goodness!! ALL of these look amazing!!

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 21, 2016 at 8:39 pm

        I agree! So hard to pick just 1 favourite eh? 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jamie.

      November 20, 2016 at 9:02 pm

      These are all so gorgeous. I really want to learn how to make pretty cakes like this.

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 21, 2016 at 8:41 pm

        Hi Jaime! It’s really just practice. Start with the Wilton 1M tip, it’s a favourite tip among decorators, and just go for it 🙂 Or do as I do – cover my mistakes with sprinkles and be done with it haha 🙂 In any case, have fun!

        Reply
    3. Marlynn

      November 19, 2016 at 11:23 pm

      Wow, how on earth does one choose from such an amazing collection of gorgeous cakes?! They are all stunning and sound delicious. I’ll take one of each please 🙂

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 21, 2016 at 8:42 pm

        Haha I’ll take one of each too! Thanks Marlynn! Hope you get a chance to try one of the 32 🙂

        Reply
    4. John

      November 19, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      Thanks for including my cake and in such fantastic company! Yum!

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 21, 2016 at 8:43 pm

        Hi John! It was my pleasure. Your pumpkin pie looks incredible and so delicious! Perfect for Thanksgiving 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jolina

      November 19, 2016 at 11:05 am

      LOL that’s very true 🙂 You’re too funny Mariana. I have lots of ugly cakes believe me, but they still taste delicious and we still eat them!

      Reply
    6. Dawn

      November 19, 2016 at 10:20 am

      How about I just make a meal out of these cakes? What a collection! They all look so pretty too. I can’t believe we are THAT close to Christmas! It’s freakin’ unreal, but exciting at the same time. I better get goin’ on my shopping. Hope you guys are having a fantastic weekend 🙂

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 19, 2016 at 10:52 am

        Or, how about 1 cake per day until Christmas? Now that would be amazing (and unreal) haha! Although we have our decorations up, we have not done any shopping. Uh oh now I feel the pressure. Thanks Dawn! Have a fantastic weekend yourself!

        Reply
    7. Mary

      November 19, 2016 at 8:45 am

      These cakes are amazing looking, almost too pretty to eat!

      Reply
      • Jolina

        November 19, 2016 at 10:55 am

        Thanks Mary! They are very pretty aren’t they? Sometimes when I decorate and I’m particularly successful (I’m not very good you see lol), it almost breaks my heart to slice into it hahaha. Do you have a favourite one in the collection?

        Reply
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