Our best Christmas cakes

Go for gold this Christmas with an elegant gingerbread showstopper. Spiced vanilla sponges are sandwiched with buttery icing and covered in a gold-sprayed outer coat. You can then create a stunning drip icing effect with white chocolate, using our easy-to-follow instructions. Finally, crown your masterpiece with a towering gingerbread star tree, or alternatively choose one of our other Christmas cake decorating ideas, such as this winter spice cake with green chocolate trees.

2. Make & mature Christmas cake

Sometimes you can't beat an old classic. Our make & mature Christmas cake is one of the most popular festive fruitcakes on the BBC Good Food site, and it's easy to see why. Get ahead by baking this on Stir-up Sunday, then feed it regularly with rum, brandy or whisky to build the flavour and keep it moist. Read our guide on how to feed a Christmas cake for more information.

3. White chocolate, orange & cranberry Christmas cake

If you want a dessert to dazzle your guests, say hello to our white chocolate, orange and cranberry cake. The zesty sponge layers are coated in a velvety white chocolate soft cheese frosting, with gold leaf pieces and snowflakes adding some extra sparkle. Save time by using shop-bought meringues to top the cake, which you can spruce up with food colouring and melted chocolate.

4. Spiced walnut cake with pomegranate molasses frosting

Make the most of walnuts in this opulent festive bake. The sponge is flavoured with chopped walnuts, ground walnut flour and warm spice from cinnamon and cardamom. Slather it in a sweet and sour soft cheese frosting and top with pomegranates and candied walnuts.

5. Golden amaretti Christmas cake

Take fruitcake to the next level by enveloping it in a layer of gold-sprayed marzipan, followed by royal icing, crumbly amaretti biscuits and gold almonds. Despite looking impressive, this golden amaretti cake is one of our easiest Christmas cakes, using a virtually all-in-one method for the sponge mixture.

6. Winter wonderland cake

There's no reason for chocoholics to miss out at Christmas. Our delightful winter wonderland cake combines a rich chocolate sponge with a 'snowy' angel frosting. Kids will love decorating this wintry bake with colourful candy canes, meringues and sweets. Santa himself would be impressed!

7. Gingerbread cake with caramel biscuit icing

A sweet creation straight out of a fairytale – our gorgeous gingerbread cake even has an irresistible caramelised biscuit icing. If these mouth-watering flavours weren't enough, there’s a magical iced biscuit and desiccated coconut 'snow' topping.

8. Salted caramel Christmas cake

Another tasty twist on the traditional, this fabulous fruitcake is laced with salted caramel, spiced rum and treacle. Jazz up the cake mixture with dates, toffee chunks and rich dulce de leche. The crunchy, caramelised pecan and hazelnut topping is the perfect finish for this lavish bake.

9. Malted milk melting snowman cake

Have some festive fun building our charming malted milk melting snowman cake. You will need a hemisphere-shaped tin to create the 'head' of this moreish white chocolate drip cake. Kids can decorate his face with buttons, icing and chocolate sticks. The result may be too cute to eat!

10. Christmas tree traybake

Chocolate, cherries and festive spice – what more could you want in a Christmas cake? The white chocolate sponge – which can be made round or tree-shaped – is filled with fruity compote and topped with frosted leaves, cherries, ginger biscuits and homemade meringues. It may take some effort, but this white forest tree traybake is worth it.

Get more Christmas baking inspiration...

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Midwinter candle cake recipe

What's your ideal Christmas cake? Leave a comment below...