If I told you I was making a batch of winter cakes, would your mind immediately go to a dark, nutty fruitcake?
Most people would say yes, and honestly, I get it. There’s a reason fruitcakes are a holiday staple — packed with warm spices and dried fruits, they’re perfect for chilly, rainy days.
I even start mine in the fall, slowly “feeding” it with brandy for months to make it extra special by the time the holidays roll around.
But winter baking isn’t just about fruitcake! Why limit yourself when there are so many incredible flavors to explore?
This list of 20 cozy winter cakes has something for everyone — rich chocolate, spicy gingerbread, bright citrusy orange, and even an eggnog-flavored cake to get you in the holiday spirit.
So, grab your apron, preheat the oven, and let’s get baking!
Contents
20. Easy Flavorful Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe
This Gingerbread Bundt Cake is everything you want in a holiday dessert — tender, full of flavor, and packed with cozy spices!
Topped with a rich chocolate ganache, it’s a true showstopper that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.
In our house, Christmas is all about sweet treats, and this cake is a definite favorite. It’s super moist, incredibly easy to make, and fills the kitchen with that nostalgic winter aroma.
With warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves blending together perfectly, every bite is pure comfort. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just yourself, this cake is a must for the holiday season!
19. Classic Carrot Cake Recipe – Delicious Winter Dessert
Today, we’re excited to share our all-time favorite Carrot Cake Recipe with you!
This homemade classic is packed with flavor from fresh carrots, warm spices, crunchy pecans, shredded coconut, and sweet crushed pineapple. It’s no surprise this is one of our most beloved and popular cakes!
You’ll find the full, printable recipe further down in this post, but here’s a quick rundown of the steps to get you started. Let’s bake something delicious!
18. Winter Wonderland Cake with Egg Whites
My Winter Wonderland White Cake is the ultimate holiday treat, no matter how you celebrate the season!
Light, fluffy, and perfectly tender, this vanilla cake is a time-tested favorite that your whole family will love — and it just might become a yearly tradition.
The best part? You can decorate it however you like! Whether for Christmas, birthdays, or any festive occasion, think of this moist, delicious white cake as your blank canvas. Dress it up with seasonal touches or keep it simple for an elegant, crowd-pleasing dessert. No matter how you serve it, this cake is pure winter magic!
17. Juicy Mandarin Cake
It can’t just be my family that goes crazy for mandarins during the holidays, right?
They’re everywhere this time of year, and somehow, I always end up grabbing a bag (or two) every time I go shopping.
One of the best ways to use them up? This light, airy mandarin cake!
The batter is infused with fresh mandarin juice and slices, giving it a bold, citrusy flavor in every bite. I like to take it up a notch by adding cranberries and dark chocolate chips for an extra layer of sweetness and tartness.
It’s simple, festive, and the perfect way to make the most of mandarin season!
16. Dark and Nutty Chestnut Cake with Chocolate Chips
I had never tried chestnut spread before this, and wow — I was blown away by the flavor! It’s deep, nutty, and slightly earthy, with a rich toffee-like finish that makes every bite feel extra special.
You can easily find it in stores or online, but if you want to take things up a notch, make your own — your kitchen will smell like Christmas!
Since this cake has a simple vanilla base, the chestnut flavors really shine, and they pair beautifully with the melty chocolate chips. It’s the kind of cozy, indulgent treat you’ll want to make all season long!
15. Amazing French Caramel Apple Cake
How incredible does this cake look? It’s golden, sticky-sweet, packed with fruit, and completely irresistible!
The best part? The caramel is made right in the microwave, and the cake batter comes together without a mixer — super easy!
No need to peel the apples either. Just layer them in the pan with the batter on top, and as it bakes, the caramel bubbles up, thickening into a gooey, delicious layer at the bottom.
For the perfect finish, let it cool for about ten minutes before flipping it onto a rack. Wait too long, and it might stick to the pan and fall apart — and trust me, you don’t want to waste a single bite of this beauty!
14. German Black Forest Cake Recipe
Black Forest Cake, or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte as it’s known in Germany, is the ultimate rich and decadent dessert.
The chocolate cake in this recipe is light, airy, and packed with deep chocolate flavor. But here’s the twist — there’s no cherry mixed into the batter! That means you can use a box mix or your favorite chocolate cake recipe as the base.
The cherry magic happens in the filling and frosting, where the flavor really shines. And since this recipe calls for kirsch (cherry liqueur), it’s strictly an adults-only indulgence. Boozy, chocolatey, and utterly irresistible!
13. Moist Brown Sugar Crumb Cake
Remember when I said crumb cake can sometimes be dry? Well, not this one!
This recipe guarantees an unbelievably moist crumb, thanks to the magic of Greek yogurt. Plus, using brown sugar instead of white gives it an extra boost of moisture and richness.
But the real game-changer? Once the cake is out of the oven, you’ll drizzle it with a luscious brown sugar and butter glaze that soaks right in, infusing every bite with incredible flavor.
Soft, buttery, and downright addictive, this is the kind of crumb cake you’ll want to make again and again!
12. Flavorful Butter Pecan Cake
Pecans are a holiday classic, and when mixed into this cake, they become even more buttery and irresistible.
You’ve probably heard that toasting nuts before adding them to a recipe helps release their oils and deepen their flavor. Well, we’re taking it up a notch!
Instead of just toasting, you’ll chop the pecans and sauté them in butter, giving them an extra boost of richness. The result? A cake that’s packed with warm, nutty goodness in every bite.
Perfect for holiday gatherings or just when you’re craving something extra special!
11. Cranberry Christmas Cake with Whipped Eggs
There’s something effortlessly elegant about this cake, and those bursts of vibrant cranberries make it even more stunning.
One thing you’ll notice in the recipe—there’s no baking powder or baking soda. Sounds unusual, right? Don’t worry! The batter will be thick, almost like cookie dough, but that’s exactly how it should be.
The magic happens with the whipped eggs, which give the cake all the lift it needs, creating a beautifully light and airy crumb. It’s a simple yet impressive dessert that’s as gorgeous as it is delicious!
10. Candy Cane Layered Cake with Sticky Crunch
If you’re looking for a cake that’ll wow everyone, this tall, layered vanilla cake with mint buttercream and crushed candy canes is the one!
Inside, you’ll find a soft, tender crumb paired with a silky-smooth filling that brings just the right amount of refreshing minty flavor.
But the real star? The crushed candy canes! They add a festive pop of color, a little sticky crunch, and a whole lot of holiday magic. Trust me—your guests will be fighting for the last slice!
9. Italian Pear Almond Cake for Winter Holidays
Like many classic European-style cakes, this recipe keeps things simple, focusing on fruit and nuts rather than heavy frosting.
Europeans tend to prefer their desserts less sweet than we do, so it’s common to see cakes like this topped with nothing more than a light dusting of powdered sugar.
And that’s exactly what makes this recipe shine—no overpowering buttercream, just pure, delicate pear flavor with a perfect balance of sweetness. It’s rustic, elegant, and absolutely delicious!
8. Sticky Toffee Cake with Brown Sugar and Black Treacle
I’ve had my fair share of sticky toffee puddings, so I’ll admit — I was a little skeptical about this recipe.
Sticky toffee pudding is usually served warm, drenched in rich toffee sauce with a side of custard. Could a cake version really capture all that magic?
Turns out, this one absolutely nails it!
The cake itself is spot on, thanks to the deep, caramel-like flavors from dates, dark brown sugar, and black treacle (or blackstrap molasses if you need a sub).
And the best part? The frosting is made with sticky toffee sauce, so every bite is packed with that classic, indulgent pudding flavor. Trust me—you need to try this!
7. Yummy Snowflake Cupcakes
Since these cupcakes are topped with a gorgeous blue frosting, you can make them in any flavor you like!
I personally love using white cake because it fits the wintery theme perfectly, but chocolate or carrot cake would work just as well.
The real showstopper here is the delicate white chocolate snowflake. To make them, you’ll need a printed template (provided in the recipe) and some piping bags.
A quick tip: white chocolate can be a bit tricky to work with. For the smoothest results, go with high-quality white chocolate chips or white candy melts—they’ll melt beautifully and make decorating a breeze!
6. Make Eggnog Cake
Eggnog is basically a glass of spiced, melted ice cream—thick, rich, and with a cozy warmth from the alcohol.
This cake takes all that holiday goodness and bakes it right in! A simple boxed cake mix gets a festive upgrade with eggnog and a few extra tweaks, making it ultra-moist and flavorful.
And we’re not stopping there—the glaze is spiked with eggnog too for even more creamy, spiced goodness.
Want to make it kid-friendly? Just swap in alcohol-free eggnog, and everyone can enjoy a slice of this holiday treat!
5. Hot Chocolate Cake with Mini-marshmallows
This may look like your standard chocolate cake, but there’s a surprise inside—a full cup of hot chocolate mixed right into the batter!
You can use any hot chocolate you like, whether it’s from a packet or homemade. Just make sure it’s hot when you add it—it helps create that rich, cozy flavor.
Want to take it up a notch? Try topping it with hot chocolate frosting and a handful of mini marshmallows for the ultimate winter treat. It’s like drinking a warm cup of cocoa… but in cake form!
4. Chocolate Peppermint Cake Pops with Cream Cheese Frosting
This minty chocolate cake is perfect if you’ve got the time to bake it from scratch and let it cool properly.
But hey, no judgment if you go for a boxed mix—holiday season is hectic enough!
Either way, this cake is rich, chocolatey, and loaded with cool peppermint flavor. And if by some miracle you have leftovers (highly unlikely!), you can turn them into irresistible cake truffles.
Just mix the crumbs with peppermint and cream cheese frosting, roll them up, and voilà—another delicious holiday treat!
3. Gingerbread Cake with Bourbon Buttercream
If the idea of baking and decorating an army of gingerbread people feels overwhelming, why not go for this easy gingerbread cake instead?
It’s dark, rich, and packed with warm holiday spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Every bite is full of cozy, festive flavor!
The crumb is super moist, so you don’t need much to dress it up—just a dollop of whipped cream will do. But if you want to go all out, try it with bourbon buttercream for an extra special holiday treat.
Either way, it’s the perfect way to enjoy gingerbread without the hassle!
2. Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël) – Best Winter Holidays Dessert!
This is exactly what comes to mind when I think of winter and Christmas cakes—a true classic and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at any holiday gathering.
The best part? It’s surprisingly easy to make at home! Using a Swiss roll cake mat helps keep the cake thin and even, but a regular cake tray works just fine too.
The key thing to remember? Since this cake gets rolled, it needs to be kept shallow. Follow that tip, and you’ll have a perfectly light, festive, and delicious rolled cake ready to impress!
1. Orange Slice Winter Cake
Winter cakes are usually dark, spiced, and rich — which I love — but sometimes, it’s nice to switch things up with something a little lighter.
This orange slice cake is the perfect alternative! It has a soft, airy crumb, skipping the brown sugar and heavy syrups in favor of bright, fresh citrus flavors.
But don’t worry — it still delivers all the festive goodness! Packed with dried fruits and nuts, it’s a refreshing yet classic way to kick off the holiday season. Light, flavorful, and just as cozy as the spiced cakes we all adore!
20 Best Winter Cake Recipes: Easy Holiday Cake Ideas
Discover 20 best winter cake recipes perfect for the holidays! Bake delightful spiced cakes, festive fruit cakes, and more. See more ideas to sweeten your season!
Ingredients
- Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe
- Classic Carrot Cake Recipe
- Winter Wonderland Cake
- Easy Mandarin Cake
- Chestnut Cake with Chocolate Chips
- French Caramel Apple Cake
- Black Forest Cake Recipe
- Brown Sugar Crumb Cake
- Butter Pecan Cake
- Cranberry Christmas Cake
- Candy Cane Layered Cake
- Italian Pear Almond Cake
- Sticky Toffee Cake
- Snowflake Cupcakes
- Eggnog Cake
- Hot Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cake Pops
- Gingerbread Cake
- Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
- Orange Slice Cake
Instructions
- Choose any Winter Cake Recipes from the post that you like
- Click on the link below the photo to get the full recipes and instructions.
- Try the best Winter Cake Recipes and share your photo under my pin on Pinterest!
I’m Anastasia and I’m a full-time blogger, online entrepreneur, and Pinterest marketing strategist. I help digital entrepreneurs and bloggers drive targeted traffic from Pinterest either through my online courses or through Pinterest consultancy.