The best Christmas cake recipes - from fig and ginger to gin & tea, there's something for everyone
Get creative this festive season and pick from one of our favourite cake recipes.
Planning on making your own Christmas cake this year? Our GH Kitchen Team have compiled over 16 of their favourite Christmas cake recipes for you to try.
Choosing the right Christmas cake for you and your guests can be half the job, so we've covered everything from classic Christmas cakes to twists on tradition.
Some of our favourites include this spiced port and orange Christmas cake – which fills the kitchen with nostalgic Christmassy aromas as the fruit soaks in port overnight.
We love the richness of this chocolate cherry Christmas cake which uses cherry brandy, dried sour cherries and chocolate for full-on festive flavour.
Looking for a classic recipe to cook this Christmas? Try our best ever Christmas cake – it's one to repeat year after year.
One of our favourite things about Christmas cakes is decorating. There's something special about transforming a simple fruit cake into a festive showstopper. If you're looking for step-by-step advice on how to ice a Christmas cake then follow our easy guide. Plus, we have lots of different sorts of decorating designs for you to try.
Remember - Stir Up Sunday is on 23rd November this year (2025) and this is the weekend to bake your Christmas cake and get your Christmas pudding ready in time for the big day. Happy baking!
Cranberry and pistachio Christmas cake recipe
We’ve used Amaretto as the soaking liqueur, plus added pistachios, to give this aromatic cake a subtle Italian edge.
Fig and ginger Christmas cake recipe
The 3 types of ginger in this recipe add some spicy warmth, but aren’t overwhelming. You can serve the cake as soon as its cool, but it will slice much more neatly after maturing.
Recipe: Fig and Ginger Christmas Cake
Coffee and walnut Christmas cake recipe
An afternoon tea classic in fruit cake form. The notes of coffee pairs beautifully with the sweet fruit and walnut crunch.
Recipe: Coffee and Walnut Christmas Cake
Cherry and almond Christmas cake recipe
Swap out the cherries for whatever fruit you fancy in this Christmas cake, just make sure you keep the weight the same. Dried cranberries and roughly chopped dates would work well here too. For a more intense almond flavour, add 1/2tbsp extract to your cake batter.
Recipe: Cherry and Almond Christmas Cake
Buttered rum Christmas cake recipe
For our Christmas cake this year, we have soaked our fruit in rum and butter to give it a warm and creamy finish. Leave this cake to mature to get a deeper, richer flavour.
Recipe: Buttered Rum Christmas Cake
Spiced port and orange Christmas cake recipe
A Christmas cake fit for a crowd. This recipe is oh-so decadent with a good fruity squidge factor.
Chocolate stout Christmas cake recipe
Adding dark chocolate and stout makes for a rich, juicy Christmas cake that's livened up with a generous pinch of spice and tangy citrus zest. Deliciously moist, it doesn't need to be fed while it's maturing.
Recipe: Chocolate Stout Christmas Cake
Tropical Christmas cake recipe
Traditional dried fruits have been given a Caribbean lift with juicy mango, warming rum and spicy ginger for a lighter bake.
Recipe: Tropical Christmas cake
Gin and tea Christmas cake recipe
We celebrate two great British drinks, gin and tea, in this popular Christmas cake recipe.
Recipe: Gin and tea Christmas cake
Chocolate cherry Christmas cake recipe
Dark chocolate and sour cherry add richness and unctuous texture to this deeply fruited cake. Delicious with a warm cup of coffee or a glass of brandy.
Recipe: Chocolate cherry Christmas cake
Spiced orange Christmas cake recipe
Full of festive orange and spices, this Christmas cake is best enjoyed fireside with friends and family.
Recipe: Spiced orange Christmas cake
Best ever Christmas cake recipe
Bursting with fruit and spices, our 'best ever Christmas cake' is hard to beat. Try it and you'll soon see why.
Recipe: Christmas cake
Christmas cake trifle recipe
Not a fan of classic fruit cake? Use Jamaican ginger or chocolate cake instead to jazz up this Christmas-worthy trifle.
Recipe: Christmas cake trifle
Creole Christmas cake recipe
Molasses and sugar give this richly fruited Christmas cake a rich flavour we can't get enough of.
Recipe: Creole Christmas cake
No-soak Christmas cake recipe
This easy Christmas cake recipe uses a microwave to skip the need for soaking and speed up preparation time – ideal if you're short on time in the lead-up to Christmas Day.
Recipe: No-Soak Christmas cake
Boil and bake Christmas cake recipe
No soaking needed, this really is our easiest Christmas Cake recipe. Simply boil and bake – your guests will be none the wiser!
Recipe: Boil and Bake Christmas cake
Christmas vegetable cake recipe
Watch friends and family gasp in disbelief as you reveal the secret ingredient in this cake… Brussels sprouts!
Recipe: Christmas vegetable cake
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