Want to bake this festive season? 4 Christmas cake recipes to try if you love homemade treats

This festive season, consider baking at home. Try these chef-approved classic cake recipes that brighten up any X-mas party.

The holiday season is incomplete without the delicious smell of freshly baked cakes wafting through the house. While store-bought cakes are convenient, nothing beats the warmth, aroma, and love that homemade treats bring. Baking at home can also be a wholesome experience for family and friends, allowing everyone to spend more time together, savour the festive fervour, and make the celebrations even more memorable.

Christmas celebration feels more wholesome when you make homemade cakes and dessert goodies.. (Picture credit: Freepik)

If you are looking for Christmas cake recipes that feel special and full of special, comforting and full of festive cheer, HT Lifestyle reached out to chefs who shared 4 unique cake recipes that you need to make. Consider bookmarking these recipes for a resplendent Christmas celebration.

1. Christmas pudding with spiced orange juice

Recipe by Chef Subhendu Sahoo, The Leela Palace Bengaluru

This cake adds a tangy twist with the base sweetness. (Picture credit: Made with Gemini)

Ingredients:

• Butter- 1 ¼ cup
• Brown sugar - ¾ cup
• Eggs- 2 eggs
• Bread crumbs- 3 cups
• Corn flour- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp
• Baking powder- ½ tsp
• Nutmeg Powder- ⅛ tsp (a pinch)
• Cinnamon Powder- 1 ¼ tsp
• Clove powder- 1 ¼ tsp
• Lemon zest- Zest of 1 lemon
• Blackcurrant- 1 cup
• Raisins- 1 cup
• Lemon peel (candied)-¾ cup
• Orange peel (candied)- ¾ cup
• Tutty fruity- ⅓ cup
• Orange Juice-2 cups
• Cinnamon Stick-1 pcs
• Cloves-3 No.
• Star Anise-1 No.
• Honey- 1 tbsp

Spiced orange juice-

Simmer together for 5–7 minutes:

• 1 cup fresh orange juice

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 3 cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)

• 1 Star Anise

• 1 tbsp honey

Cool and strain.

Method:

• Soak the fruits in spiced orange juice overnight. This allows better absorption of flavours and helps get the best results.

• Cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. This can be done by using a creaming attachment in a cake mixer and placing the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

• Add eggs one by one. This is done to avoid splitting the batter. • Mix breadcrumbs, corn flour, baking powder and all spices in a bowl. • Fold the dry ingredients into this butter mixture.

• Add zest and soaked fruit with liquid in it.

• Stir gently to combine.

• Grease a pudding bowl and line the bottom with a parchment sheet.

• Pour the mixture and level the top.

• Cover with parchment paper and foil, and tie it tightly with a string.

• Place it in a double bath to steam for 4-5 Hours.

• Cool it completely, wrap and store it in a cool, dry place.

• Serve after making the pudding warm in an oven/microwave oven.

2. Stollen bread

Recipe by Chef Rishabh Anand, Executive Sous Chef, The Leela Hyderabad

Stollen bread is a German Christmas fruit bread. (Picture credit: Made with Gemini)

Ingredients:

• Refined Flour- 500 gm
• Milk- 500 gm
• Yeast- 125 gm

Dough

• Unsalted Butter- 750 gm
• Brown Sugar- 250 gm
• Refined Flour- 2000 gm
• Spice Mix- 60 gm
• Milk- 200 ml
• Raisin- 750 gm
• Slivers almond- 250 gm
• Soaked fruits- 500 gm
• Dark rum- 500 gm

Soaking

• Clarified butter- 2000 ml

Method:

• Make a starter by mixing ( flour, milk and yeast ) all together, keep aside for 1 hour.
• Mix all ingredients and add starter.
• Make a dough by adding butter part by part.
• Add soaked fruit and dry nuts with dark rum in the end.
• Shape the dough and keep it for proofing for 30-40 minutes.
• Bake at 200 °C for 20-25 minutes In preheated oven.
• Soaked in clarified butter and dusted with icing sugar before serving.

3. Dundee cake

Recipe by Chef Ravi, Head Bakery Chef, The Leela Hyderabad

Dundee cake is a Scottish fruitcake. (Picture credit: Made with Gemini)

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter - 100 gm

Castor Sugar - 100 gm

Egg - 3 no

Refined Flour - 80 gm

Baking Powder - 4 gm

Mix Spice - 5 gm

Soaked Fruit - 300 gm

Oil - 10 ml

Almond blanched - 50 gm

For glazing

Marmalade - 100 gm

Orange Juice - 28 ml

Whiskey - 19 ml

Method:

• Cream soft butter and sugar until smooth.
• Add egg a little ( one by one ) at a time to avoid curdling.
• Add all dry ingredients and soaked fruit together ( flour, mix spice, baking powder and soaked fruit).
• Lastly, add oil to the batter.
• Transfer the batter into a greased pan.
• Garnish the cake from the top with blanched almonds and bake at 180 °C in a preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Glazed the cake after baking and garnished it with Marzipan.

4. Plum cake

Recipe by Chef Rishabh Anand, Executive Sous Chef The Leela Hyderabad

Plum cake is a classic delight! (Picture credit: Made with Gemini AI)

Ingredients:

• Flour - 2400 gm
• Milk powder - 500 gm
• Sugar - 2500 gm
• Unsalted butter - 2500 gm
• Egg - 50 no
• Baking Powder - 70 gm
• Baking Soda - 30 gm
• Soaked fruits - 3000 gm
• Oil - 500 ml
• Mix spice - 100 gm

Syrup for soaking

• Water - 1000 ml
• Sugar - 500 gm
• Honey - 100 gm
• Rum - 500 ml
• Star anise - 20 gm
• Cinnamon - 30 gm

Method:

• Cream the soft butter and sugar until smooth.
• Add egg a little ( one by one ) at a time to avoid curdling.
• Add all dry ingredients and soaked fruit together
• Lastly, add oil to the batter.
• Transfer the batter into a greased pan.
• Bake at 180 °C in a preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Soak the cake after baking.