Food Desserts & Baking Cakes & Cupcakes 10 Showstopping Cakes for Your Holiday Table By Midwest Living editors Midwest Living editors Midwest Living's experienced editors create best-in-class travel, lifestyle, food, home and garden content you won't find anywhere else. We're loudly, proudly Midwestern, and we're passionate about helping our audience explore and create through award-winning storytelling. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 17, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Kelsey Hansen A season for celebration deserves a cake. Here are 10 of our favorite holiday and winter cake recipes from bakers and chefs around the region. 01 of 10 Black Forest Cake with Cloud Frosting Carson Downing This simplified version of the German classic gets its fruit flavor from cherry jam and cherry juice. Beating heavy cream with cream cheese creates a beautifully light frosting that is lighter than cream cheese frosting but more stable than whipped cream. View Recipe 02 of 10 German Chocolate Cake Kelsey Hansen This celebration cake is a staple at Bake Chicago and a favorite at the holidays. It has a wonderfully fudgy, old-fashioned, homemade texture. The frosting has an unusual method that may feel initially like it's failing, but stick with it. Laced with sour cream, it's creamy and utterly delicious. Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes View Recipe 03 of 10 Gingerbread Latte Cake Kelsey Hansen Rebekah Stuber of Bay Laurel Baking Company in Des Moines says her flavor-packed spice cakes always earn raves. Her secret to airy cream cheese frosting: Folding in whipped cream. Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes) View Recipe 04 of 10 Vanilla Crepe Cake Kelsey Hansen This cake by chef Gavin Kaysen of Cooks | Bellecour in the Twin Cities will wow you with its many layers, luscious creaminess and subtle tones of vanilla. View Recipe 05 of 10 Seven-or-So Layer Cake Carson Downing This striking (and gluten-free!) cake is inspired by the Jewish bakery classic, Seven-Layer Cake. Our simplified sheet-pan method sandwiches rich mocha glaze between layers of almond cake. Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth View Recipe 06 of 10 Peppermint Patty Cake Kelsey Hansen This pretty cake boasts dark rich layers and silky Swiss meringue buttercream. The peppermint flavor comes from the frosting, so baker Kristine Moberg of Queen City Bakery says to use a high-quality extract such as Nielsen-Massey. Holiday Peppermint Recipes View Recipe 07 of 10 Modern Fruit Cakes Carson Downing Even if you're not a fan of fruit cake, Minneapolis blogger Sarah Kieffer's modern take may convert you. These moist cakes are encased in chocolate and star flavors like cherries, orange zest, candied citrus peel, and chopped and dried fruit. Package them in our DIY modern fruit cake boxes before gifting. View Recipe 08 of 10 Chocolate-Chai Bundt with Candied Oranges and Rum Buttah Kelsey Hansen Reine Keis of SweetArt Cafe in St. Louis says the secret to vegan baking is not assuming that one plant-based alternative fits all recipes. In this cozy cake, coconut yogurt is her power play. Ultimate Cake Recipes View Recipe 09 of 10 Cocoa Gingerbread with Heaven Frosting Carson Downing With its nutty flavor and tiny flecks of toasted milk solids, browned butter elevates a simple cream cheese frosting to saintly levels. Gingerbread Recipes to Spice Up Your Holidays View Recipe 10 of 10 Chocolate Gift Cakes Carson Downing These 6-inch chocolate cakes are topped with a swoop of silky frosting. The recipe (which makes three cakes) comes from Minneapolis blogger Sarah Kieffer's cookbook, Baking for the Holidays. Heavenly Homemade Food Gifts View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit