Christmas cake inspiration

When I say Christmas cakes, I don’t mean the heavily iced and marzipan wrapped stodgy fruit cake, oh no, we’re talking festive flavours in beautiful bakes that’ll impress anyone who happens to be popping over to your place during the festive season.

Most of the following recipes are from talented local baker and good friend of mine Lucy Lovell of Vanilla Frost Cakes… she really is rather clever with flavour combinations. I had the honour of making her recipes to be styled and photographed by Sharron Gibson for the recent Good Food Channel Website‘s Christmas photoshoot.

So lose yourself in Christmassy cake pictures and get yourself some inspiration while you’re at it. Which ones do you like the look of? Let me know what you all think. Are you more of a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas cakes?

We’ll kick off with this majestic baked Christmas Cheesecake…

I adore the vivid red cranberry topping on this dessert, you can totally imagine it stealing the show on Christmas Day. The cheesecake itself is flavoured with warming ginger, sitting on a crunchy gingernut base. It’s one of those fab puddings that’s not too sweet due to the sharp edge of the cranberries.

Get the recipe here>>

These Eggnog Cupcakes are not only stunning, but unbelievably delicious too, and i’m not exaggarating. They combine cream, brandy and spices for a properly grown-up afternoon treat. These cakes will thaw out even the iciest of mother-in-laws 😉

Get the recipe here>>

One of my recipes, these Candy Cane Cupcakes are a bit of festive frivolity for chocolate mint appreciators. A simple chocolate sponge topped with two tone mint buttercream frosting. I had fun getting the frosting to come out stripey after watching multiple YouTube how-to videos!!!

Get the recipe here>>

These Spiced Apple Cupcakes would easily work as a dessert over the holidays. The sponge has tiny pieces of dessert apple in it, and it’s topped with a super tasty cinnamon cream cheese frosting scattered with nuts.

Get the recipe here>>

For those of you who find all that frosting a bit much, then try Lucy’s Florentine Cupcakes. The sponge is flecked with chocolate chips and then topped with a Christmassy fruit and nut layer drizzled with chocolate.

Get the recipe here>>

Finally, Lucy’s warming Ginger Traybake; wonderful served in generous slices with steaming mugs of hot chocolate after a walk out in the snow.

Get the recipe here>>

And as if this isn’t enough Christmassy baking, fellow food writer Ren Behan’s got even more for you over on her blog, with the festive recipes she’s also done for the Good Food Channel website. The white chocolate malteser cake is pretty spectacular stuff! You can see it all here>>

 What cakes will YOU be baking this holiday season? Maybe you’ve already got your traditional fruit cake made? Let me know what your baking plans are this Christmas!!