No festival is ever truly complete without the comforting presence of food to make you salivate. Of course, Christmas is no different. Christmas signifies the peak of the holiday season, and in doing so, just screams a merry opportunity to spoil yourself with the most decadent desserts you could think of.
With the year coming to an end, Christmas seems to arrive at the best moment to relinquish control over your diet and dive headfirst into the plethora of mouth-watering desserts and sweets that decorate the display windows of bakeries and confectioneries all around the town. After all, the holiday season demands a few cheat days here and there!
To placate all your sweet tooth cravings with abandon and keep the joyous spirit of Christmas alive, Here are 10 different types of cakes you can indulge in this holiday season:
1. Black Forest Cake
Legend has it that the Black Forest cake originated from the Schwarzwald region of Germany known for its — you guessed it — Black forests, and is famous for its sour cherries and kirschwasser.
A timeless classic and a Christmas staple, Black Forest cake is enough to satiate all your food cravings, whether you’re devoted to chocolate or always request extra whipped cream on your desserts.
Moist cocoa flavoured sponge cake soaked in bourbon or rum and layered with a sour cherry filling and then topped with white buttercream and chocolate shavings, Black Forest cake makes the perfect winter dessert.
2. Carrot cake
The tradition of adding carrots to cakes goes back to medieval times. As sugar was an expensive ingredient and not easily available, People started to use carrots in its stead, as they were relatively abundant, inexpensive, and actually quite sweet.
Another seasonal special, carrot cakes are especially loved during the holiday season. Decked with an array of warm spices, dry fruits, and sweetened condensed milk, Carrot cakes strike an excellent balance between rich decadence and flavour packed goodness.
If you’re more on the health-conscious side, there are a variety of recipes available to help you bake a healthier version of the cake, giving you all the flavourful benefits of sweet carrots and spices without missing out on its luxurious feel.
3. Raspberry Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a must for any holiday! While not your traditional sponge cake, cheesecake could rival any dessert in terms of flavour and most of all ~ variety.
Cheesecakes are like a blank canvas for all your culinary creatives. And what better way to make a cheesecake apt for the Christmas season than slathering it with sweet and sour raspberries jam? The contrast of the creamy filling with tangy red jam makes it a fun dessert that first right in with the Christmas decorations.
4. Pumpkin Spice Cake
This one is for the crazed fanatics of all things pumpkin spice. If you are fond of pumpkin spice lattes during the fall season, then this cake is the much-needed addition to your holiday menu this year.
Pumpkin flavour paired up with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg makes the cake not only delicious but also gives it a twist to make it stand out amongst all the other sugar-rich desserts that saturate the market during the season.
5. Chocolate cake pops
For those Christmas parties where carrying a plate seems like too much work, or if you want to impress the attendees with a more modern version of a classic chocolate cake, chocolate cake pops are the way to go!
Just like regular lollipops, cake pops are small bite-sized spheres of cake set on a candy stick and dunked in gooey chocolate frosting to make it even more delightful. The candy replica might look tiny but once you start munching on them, it becomes increasingly hard to worry about portion control.
6. Boozy cakes
Suitable for the more adult crowds at your annual holiday parties, boozy cakes will have you enjoying the experience of alcohol in the form of sweet and luxurious desserts.
While most of the alcohol content is evaporated during the cooking process, some prefer to soak the cake in flavoured liqueurs for an added punch. These flavour-packed desserts are bound to have you asking for more without shame.
7. Bûche de Noël
The Bûche de Noël cake— or the Yule log, as it is referred to in common terms— is a French-oriented traditional Christmas dessert that dates back to the early 19th century.
The cake, as its name suggests, represents the yule log that families would burn starting on Christmas Eve. The burning of the yule log is said to signify the new year to come and is a symbol to bring good luck to the family.
A classic Christmas cake, served all over Europe, especially in France, Belgium, Switzerland, is a must-try for all at least once.
8. Gingerbread cake
Making gingerbread men and houses is a Christmas tradition most synonymous with children during the season. It is one of the favourite pastimes for kids of all ages and is a great outlet for their creative imagination.
Gingerbread cake then takes this tradition one step forward by creating a moist and dense cake version of the classic dessert. Flavoured with spices such as clove, vanilla, and cinnamon and filled with dry fruits and nuts, it is a special treat for children and adults alike.
9. Classic Red Velvet
Nothing says Christmas more than a slice of the classic red velvet cake. The deep red colour of the dessert emulates the jovial spirit of the festival and one can tell at first glance that Christmas is just around the corner.
Topped with snow-white cream and chocolate flakes, the dessert is also an evident symbol of Santa Claus, as they both share the same colour palette and also the same essence of the holiday season.
10. Fruit Cake
Filled with candied or dry fruit, nuts, and spices, and occasionally soaked in spirits, fruit cake is simultaneously one of the simplest yet tastiest cakes you could make around the holiday season.
The colourful candied fruits go perfect with the vibrant Christmas decorations put up all around the place. The cake is also a healthier alternative for those who wish to watch their diets during the holidays.
To make it even fancier, you could even garnish it with fresh fruit and cream, elevating the dessert from rustic to a more elegant look to impress all the guests you serve it to.
