83 holiday cake recipes

Persimmon pudding cake, a moist autumn loaf with ripe persimmons, brandy, warm spices, raisins, and walnuts. Served with a brandy ricotta topping for fall holiday gatherings.

English trifle with sherry-soaked angel food cake, raspberry jam, raspberry jello, and creamy vanilla pudding. A festive, make-ahead holiday dessert layered in a glass bowl.

Russian tea cakes (also called Mexican wedding cookies): buttery nut-studded shortbread balls rolled twice in powdered sugar. A classic holiday cookie tin staple in 30 minutes.

Soft, cake-style pumpkin spice cookies built on egg whites and pumpkin puree with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, baked tender for a lighter holiday cookie tin.

Golden fruitcake with dried apricots, raisins, candied cherries, orange peel, citron, and shaved almonds in a light cake flour batter. Baked low and slow for 4 gorgeous holiday loaves.

Christmas gift-box cake decorated with homemade red ribbon and holly leaves made from melted vanilla chips and corn syrup, dusted with edible glitter. A centerpiece-worthy holiday showstopper.

Panforte is the dense, chewy Sienese Christmas cake packed with toasted hazelnuts and almonds, dates, cherries, cocoa, and warm spices, bound by hot honey caramel. A traditional Italian holiday confection.

Chewy, warmly spiced mincemeat squares with cinnamon, nutmeg, and bran, drizzled with a sweet confectioners' sugar glaze. A cozy holiday baking treat that makes 16 shareable squares.

Mincemeat bars with a chewy oat-molasses crust and condensed mincemeat filling. Old-fashioned holiday baking with a crumble topping, dusted with powdered sugar.

Homemade apricot-raisin jam with lemon and orange juice creates a thick, spreadable preserve perfect for gift-giving and holiday baking.

Swiss gingerbread from Lucerne with pear purée, walnuts, whole wheat flour and a warming mix of star anise, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Traditional Lebkuchen-style holiday bake.

Tiny green sugar cookie balls arranged in rings with candied cherry "berries" to make festive Christmas wreath cookies. A fun, easy holiday baking project for kids.

Buttery almond cutout cookies shaped like birds with sliced almond feather wings and a sparkly sugar glaze. A whimsical holiday baking project the whole family will love.

Brigette's almond crescent cookies bring together buttery shortbread, rolled oats, and finely chopped almonds, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. A classic passed-down holiday bake.

Surprise-center butter cookies with 4 hidden fillings: Andes mints, cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans. Each batch gets its own color-coded icing. A fun holiday baking project.

Peanut butter reindeer cookies use a boxed cookie mix, an egg, and a reindeer cutter for shape, then decorate with chocolate chips, candy-coated chocolates, and sprinkles. Easy holiday baking project for kids.