Classic Christmas Cake Recipe: Moist Fruit Cake for the Holidays

Last Updated January 4th, 2024 at 11:09 pm by Lisa

Bake a Christmas Cake bursting with classic peppermint flavor. This festive bundt is elegant enough for a holiday dinner yet simple enough to make with kids — a cheerful, crowd-pleasing dessert for the season.

With basic pantry ingredients and a little time, this peppermint bundt will become a favorite way to celebrate the holidays.

What Are The Best Christmas Treats?

• Last year I developed this easy peppermint bundt using ingredients I already had — it was a hit at a Christmas dinner party.
• Swap See’s Peppermint Twists for candy canes or any peppermint candies you prefer.
• A gorgeous cake can be the centerpiece of your holiday dessert table; bundt pans come in many beautiful designs for the season.
• This is one of the simplest Christmas cake recipes — great for busy holiday days.
• Perfect to make with family and serve with a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
• Enjoy a slice after opening presents or the next morning with coffee or tea.
• Bring it to potlucks for a show-stopping, Christmassy crowd-pleaser.

Peppermint Christmas Cake Recipe

Many holiday cakes feel fussy, but this recipe is a reliable go-to for celebrations. It’s festive, peppermint-forward, and forgiving for home bakers.

PRO TIP: All ingredients should be at room temperature for best results. This is a perfect cake for Christmas day or any time you want a holiday treat.

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• sea salt
• butter
• granulated sugar
• eggs
• vegetable oil
• peppermint extract
• peppermint mocha coffee creamer
• peppermint candies or candy canes

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

• cream cheese
• butter
• powdered sugar
• peppermint mocha coffee creamer

Prepare the bundt pan by spraying it with coconut oil (even non-stick pans benefit) and dusting it with flour. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon sea salt.

In a mixer, cream 1 ¼ cups butter with 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar until light. Beat four room-temperature eggs lightly, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix in ½ teaspoon peppermint extract and ¼ cup vegetable oil.

Alternately add the flour mixture and 1 ¼ cups peppermint mocha creamer to the batter, mixing until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, making the sides slightly higher than the center. Bake 60 minutes, checking between 65–70 minutes; a toothpick should come out clean.

Top Cake Baking Tips:

• Bake on the top rack for even browning.
• Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even heat exposure.
• If baking ahead, wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap to retain moisture.

Mix Peppermint Frosting & Decorate

For the frosting, beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ¼ cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons peppermint mocha creamer until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract if you want a stronger peppermint hit.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. For easy transport, frost the cake on a round cake cardboard and use a dab of frosting to secure it so it won’t slide during decoration.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe generous swirls of peppermint buttercream over the cake. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the frosting and place a few whole candies in the center for a festive finish. Crush candies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or chop them on a board.

How to Serve Holiday Cakes

Present the cake on a pretty cake stand, holiday plate, or platter. If you frosted on a cake cardboard, trim it so it’s hidden under the cake for a cleaner appearance when transferring to a serving plate.

Christmas Bundt Cake Variations & Swaps

Candy Cane Layered Cake: Bake this batter in round or square pans to make layered cakes; spread frosting between layers for a festive look.

Keep it simple: Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant finish, or cover with the peppermint cream cheese frosting for something sweeter.

White chocolate: Fold in white peppermint chips or chopped peppermint bark for added texture and flavor.

Cake flour swap: Use cake flour in place of all-purpose flour by adding about 2 extra tablespoons per cup (an additional 6 tablespoons for this recipe) for a softer crumb.

Vegetable oil: Adding oil helps keep the cake moist — recommended for best texture.

More Holiday Baking Recipes

Explore more Christmas recipes and festive ideas for your holiday table, from cookies to candies and homemade extracts.

Santa’s Cookies: Fun to decorate with kids and place with milk or hot cocoa for Santa.

Nut Goodie Bars: A family-favorite candy that’s perfect for chocolate lovers and cookie exchanges.

Try homemade frostings, ice creams, cookies, pies, and even DIY vanilla extract to elevate your holiday baking.

Peppermint Candy Plate: An easy 20-minute project to serve candy, cookies, and festive drinks at parties or potlucks.

Shortbread Cookies: Bake shortbread with peppermint white chocolate and macadamia nuts for a tropical twist.

Santa’s Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies: These freeze well; make the dough ahead and bake throughout the season.