It’s Not Too Early to Bake Your Christmas Cake, Honest (And Here’s Why)

Maria Challis • November 6, 2025

Christmas is the perfect excuse to indulge a little (or a lot) in desserts that make your heart (and taste buds) sing.


I recently ran a poll on LinkedIn asking what dessert people love most at Christmas, and it turns out there is a little bit of everything in the mix. Whether you are a fan of traditional flavours, chocolatey decadence, fruity elegance, or something completely out of the box, I have four festive treats for you to try this holiday season.


Plan ahead this Christmas and wow your guests. They will be raving for months about the indulgent desserts you served, and don’t forget, you need to be prepping your Christmas cake six weeks before the big day. It’s not just a case of baking a cake, it’s a process. Once that you don’t want to skip a step on.

A Christmas Cake decorated with festive spirit

1. The Classic Christmas Cake

Rich, fruity, and fragrant with warm spices, the Christmas cake is comfort on a plate. There’s something magical about that dense, nutty, fruit-studded slice that instantly feels like Christmas. But here’s the secret to the best cake: you need to bake it early. Seriously, the earlier the better (we suggest 6 weeks in advance).  This is a marathon, not a sprint!


Why? Because your Christmas cake will taste incredible if you feed it with brandy (or your preferred festive tipple) every week leading up to Christmas. This keeps it moist, intensifies the flavour, and makes the fruit really sing. Think of it as a little festive pampering for your cake. Honestly, it’s one of the most joyful rituals of the season.


With the dessert, you will take a bite and suddenly be transported to a cosy living room with twinkling lights, because that’s the magic of a Christmas cake.


Recipe: Mini Fruit and Almond Christmas Cake


Ingredients:

  • 250g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, chopped apricots)
  • 100g chopped almonds
  • 125g unsalted butter
  • 125g brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125g plain flour
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp brandy or orange juice


Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a small cake tin.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
  3. Fold in flour, mixed spice, fruit, almonds, and zest. Add brandy or juice to moisten.
  4. Pour into the tin and bake for 1-1.5 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Cool and decorate with marzipan and icing, or simply dust with icing sugar.


Pro tip: Don’t forget to feed your cake weekly. It’s a Christmas tradition that makes all the difference!

Basically Christmas Cake with festive decor

2. For All the Chocolate Lovers

A Yule log is basically Christmas in dessert form. Indulgent, chocolatey, and beautifully rustic, it’s the kind of dessert that looks impressive but is actually a joy to make. Picture yourself slicing into that deep, chocolatey sponge with creamy filling inside… absolute heaven. Sprinkle in some toasted hazelnuts or chocolate curls for that extra wow factor.


Serve it with a steaming cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and you’ve got a moment of pure chocolate bliss. Bonus points if you sneak a little nibble while no one is looking. It’s part of the holiday spirit, of course!


Recipe: Chocolate Hazelnut Yule Log


Ingredients:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 75g plain flour
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 200ml double cream
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 50g chopped toasted hazelnuts


Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Fold in flour and cocoa powder.
  3. Spread evenly on the tray and bake for 10-12 minutes.
  4. Roll the sponge in a clean tea towel while warm.
  5. Whip cream with melted chocolate to make filling. Unroll sponge, spread filling, sprinkle hazelnuts, and roll again.
  6. Dust with cocoa powder and decorate with chocolate curls or berries.
Chocolate Yule Cake with Christmas Decoration

3. A Little Bit of Elegance

If you like your Christmas dessert light and fruity, a pavlova is the way to go. Delicate but festive, it’s like biting into a sweet cloud topped with juicy, colourful berries. Visually stunning, and it makes any holiday table feel special without being heavy.


Every forkful is light and airy, with just enough sweetness to feel indulgent. Perfect for those who want a fruity break from the richer Christmas desserts. Add a few mint leaves or a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for extra Christmas cheer.


Recipe: Christmas Berry Pavlova


Ingredients:

  • 4 egg whites
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 300ml double cream
  • 250g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
  • Mint leaves for garnish
  • 

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually adding sugar until stiff and glossy. Fold in vinegar and cornflour.
  3. Spoon into a circle on the tray, forming a slight well in the center. Bake for 1-1.5 hours, then cool in the oven with the door ajar.
  4. Whip cream and spoon over cooled meringue. Top with berries and mint.
Christmas Pavlova dripping in fairy lights

4. Something Else Entirely

Sometimes, you just want to surprise everyone with something totally different. Enter the salted caramel cheesecake. Creamy, slightly tangy, with a caramel kick and a buttery base, it’s a little unexpected but absolutely irresistible. Perfect if you want a dessert that sparks conversation and makes everyone come back for seconds.


It’s one of those desserts where people close their eyes mid-bite and just savour the moment. Trust me, this one disappears fast at any festive gathering.


Recipe: Salted Caramel Cheesecake


Ingredients:

  • 200g digestive biscuits, crushed
  • 100g melted butter
  • 300g cream cheese
  • 200ml double cream
  • 100g sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100g caramel sauce
  • Pinch of sea salt

Method:

  1. Mix biscuits with butter, press into a springform tin, and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Whip cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in cream.
  3. Pour over the chilled base and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with sea salt before serving.
Caramel Cheesecake made for Christmas

No matter your taste, there’s a Christmas dessert here to make your holidays sweeter, cosier, and a little more indulgent. Whether you go traditional, chocolatey, fruity, or creative, the best part is sharing it with the people you love.

And one last festive tip: don’t forget to feed your Christmas cake! 



A little brandy each week keeps it moist, flavoursome, and ready to dazzle your guests when the big day arrives. It’s a simple tradition that turns a cake into a true Christmas star.


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