30 Cake Recipes That'll More Than Warm Up Your Kitchen This Winter
Bake away your winter blues.
As soon as the temperatures dip, there's no doubt that our ovens are ready and preheated to bake all our favorite winter cakes. Whether you're planning the dessert spread for your Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah get-togethers (or simply just in need of a mid-week treat in February), these winter-friendly cake recipes will more than warm you up. As far as we're concerned, one bite of our cranberry cake can instantly chase away any and all winter blues!
Winter brings snow days, ugly sweaters, but most importantly, cakes we dream about the rest of the year. There's almost too many seasonal greats to count, like figgy pudding, fruitcake, bûche de noël (yule log cake), not to mention sticky toffee pudding. Try them all and you just might find yourself outshining everyone on Great British Baking Show this holiday season. 😉
Here at Delish, we think it's no coincidence that the best citrus arrives in winter; the tart, zippy flavor of orange and lemon always carry us through 'til warmer temperatures creep back up. So why not add that bit of sunshine to your cakes? Our winter upgrade to a standard pineapple upside-down cake, our citrus upside-down cake, might just be your new year-round favorite. The same is absolutely true of our lemon meringue cheesecake and citrus olive oil cake recipes—they're instant day-brighteners and incredibly easy to whip up.
Get your hygge on all season long by cooking up all of our cozy winter recipes, including our favorite winter desserts, winter dinners, winter salads, and winter cocktails.
Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake)
Bûche de Noël cakes are a French Christmas tradition dating back to the 19th century. Rolling up a warm cake in a towel might seem crazy, but it's the best way to ensure the cake won't crack when you frost it. You could decorate it like a log, as is traditional, or try any other variety of frosting and topping combos—it's all about that gorgeous swirl, so anything else you manage is a bonus.
Get the Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake) recipe.
Gingerbread Cake
Want your kitchen to smell like Christmas? Make gingerbread cake! Enjoy it warm or cold, for breakfast or after dinner, plain or topped with whipped cream, from a plate with a fork or straight out of your hand. No judgment here.
Get the Gingerbread Cake recipe.
Cranberry Cake
This cranberry loaf cake is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The cranberries will burst and release all of their juices while baking, making each bite exciting. The sugar topping adds a subtle crunch, and the sour cream keeps this cake moist for days.
Get the Cranberry Cake recipe.
Figgy Pudding
Contrary to the name, Figgy Pudding isn't pudding (at least not by America's definition). "Pudding" in this case refers to the British style of a steamed cake-like dessert that will perfume your entire house as it bakes, thanks to its dreamy combination of spices.
Get the Figgy Pudding recipe.
Citrus Upside-Down Cake
We used slices from navel, blood orange, Cara Cara oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, but really any of your favorite wintery citrus can be used for this stunner of an upside-down cake.
Get the Citrus Upside-Down Cake recipe.
Rum Cake
Popular in the Caribbean, rum cake is a vanilla Bundt cake that has rum in the batter. Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to the cake batter too, but we have a more accessible homemade version.
Get the Rum Cake recipe.
Fruitcake
Fruitcake is an iconic holiday dessert, and most of the time, it isn't getting the love it deserves. This is the one you should take the risk on though. Freshly baked, fruitcake is delicious and studded with dry fruit and pecans and warmly spiced. The glaze can be optional but is a helpful sweet addition.
Get the Fruitcake recipe.
Pistachio Cake
Ground pistachios are added in with the flour to create a subtly green-hued cake with a nutty flavor and texture. There's a hint of cardamom in there to add intrigue as well. The cake then gets a thin layer of cream cheese frosting for a tangy addition that perfectly ties it all together.
Get the Pistachio Cake recipe.
Citrus Olive Oil Cake
If you've never had olive oil-based dessert, this citrusy, tender cake is a great place to start. Lemon and orange zest play super-well with the grassy, bright flavors of olive oil. Looking for more ways to use up almond flour? It makes the best keto cheesecake crust.
Get the Citrus Olive Oil Cake recipe.
Marshmallow Cake
Classic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not-too-sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and looks great swirled or toasted on the outside. Pipe it on to make pretty swirls and rosettes, or use a kitchen torch for a s'mores vibe.
Get the Marshmallow Cake recipe.
Christmas Tree Cake
Nine layers of breathtaking beauty! This Christmas tree cake is perfect for when you really want to show off this holiday season. We recommend using a homemade cake recipe, like our chocolate or yellow cakes, but boxed cake mix will work too.
Get the Christmas Tree Cake recipe.
Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
Gooey, puffy, spiced sugar-filled cinnamon rolls are truly what dreams are made of, but we can’t always get it together to make them from scratch. And though they’re usually thought of as a breakfast food, they’re pretty much just cake in disguise anyway, and can be enjoyed from morning 'til night. This poke cake can help you skip all the finicky rolling and proofing, but still get all that delicious cinnamon roll flavor (including the cream cheese frosting!).
Get the Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake recipe.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
If you’re looking for a showstopping, mouthwatering dessert to impress dinner guests, look no further than this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe. The layers of graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake, bright yellow lemon curd, and a big swoop of toasted meringue will get everyone in a frenzy even before their first bite.
Get the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe.
Butter Pecan Cheesecake
Toasty, buttery pecans turn a classic cheesecake into an even more decadent and rich dessert. Our traditional graham cracker crust gets a little boost with more pecans to make it even better. It’s perfect as is, but topped off with whipped cream and even more pecans makes it the best slice of cheesecake you'll ever try.
Get the Butter Pecan Cheesecake recipe.
Snowman Cupcakes
Baby, it’s cold outside! We can’t think of a better way to welcome the first snow of the season than with these adorable snowman cupcakes. Marshmallow snowmen sit atop sweet, frosted coconut cupcakes to create a dessert guaranteed to put you in a festive mood.
Get the Snowman Cupcakes recipe.
Easy Sponge Cake
If you’re looking for a simple celebration cake, one that’s perfect for everything from birthdays to holidays, look no further than this light and fluffy sponge cake. Having it in your recipe arsenal will have you ready for anything: You can cube it a trifle, crumble it over ice cream, or—our favorite—stack it with whipped cream and berries. The best part? You can have this entire cake ready in just about an hour.
Get the Easy Sponge Cake recipe.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Traditionally a date-studded sponge cake topped with a rich toffee sauce, this is the perfect dessert for holiday meals or special occasions. It’s truly a dessert unlike any other and is best served still slightly warm out of the pan with extra toffee sauce drizzled on top.
Get the Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe.
Igloo Cake
We turned two store-bought cake mixes, one 8" cake pan, one 8" heatproof bowl, marshmallows, and one cake donut to create this joyful igloo cake. Check out our video for tips, then use this recipe to spark your baking imagination.
Get the Igloo Cake recipe.
Tiramisu Cake
It’s hard not to love a creamy, light slice of tiramisu, but we especially love it in cake form. Whether you’re looking for a slightly more approachable take on the Italian classic, or are just a tiramisu fanatic looking for a clever twist, this recipe will make for the perfect end to any meal.
Get the Tiramisu Cake recipe.
Sweet Potato Cake
What makes this sweet potato cake so completely irresistible? We think it's the frosting. It's got a super-fun secret ingredient—marshmallow fluff! Sweet potato casserole lovers will FLIP.
Get the Sweet Potato Cake recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
Madison Flager is the Lifestyle Editor at Delish.com; she covers food news and trends, travel-worthy food experiences, and the products you need in your kitchen right now. She has a deep love of coffee and manchego cheese.
