The Best Christmas Bundt Cake for a Festive Holiday

Fruit cake may be traditional for the holiday season, but this Christmas Bundt Cake is even better! The tender cake is enriched from cream cheese and enhanced with brandy-soaked fruits. It’s so easy and festive, it will quickly become one of your favorite bundt cake recipes.

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If you sometimes struggle with prepping a homemade cake recipe that everyone loves, know that the struggle is over! I updated a vintage 60s recipe for the 21st century, and this Christmas Bundt Cake is the perfect dessert to serve during the Christmas season or anytime you want a tasty treat.

All my teens and college kids absolutely love it and give it rave reviews!

It’s perfect to take to a Christmas party or to end a Christmas dinner, but it’s equally good for tucking into lunchboxes or serving as an after school snack. Loaded with dried fruit, this rich cake is one of those perfect treats that satisfies.

You’ll want to make it far past the start of the new year.

Why Make This

It’s a fruit cake but not “bad”. So says my teenage daughter. This holiday bundt cake features classic holiday flavors without overpowering. The texture is not too dense nor too light. It holds the fruit perfectly in a rich batter. It’s the perfect bundt cake for the holiday season.

It’s very freezer-friendly. This easy holiday cake recipe bakes up quickly and easily and freezes beautifully, so you can make it in advance or simply freeze leftovers to avoid food waste.

It’s versatile for what fruit to include. I’ve listed different fruits to give this delicious bundt cake a variety of colors and flavors, but you can shop your kitchen and use whatever dried fruit you have on hand. In a pinch you can add chocolate or nuts instead of dried fruit, for a festive Christmas cake that suits your preferences as well as your pantry.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Christmas Bundt Cake:

brandy – Soaking the fruit in brandy helps keep the pound cake moist. Traditional in fruit cake, brandy adds a little extra flavor without adding a booziness. We also use it in Bilbo’s Seed Cakes. You can use fruit juice or hot water to soften the fruit if you prefer.

mixed dried fruit – I use a variety of dried fruits, including apricots, cherries, cranberries and golden and dark raisins. Use whatever dried fruits you have on hand.

butter – Butter adds richness to this Christmas bundt cake, but you can substitute margarine or another plant-based butter. 

cream cheese – Cream cheese adds a slight tang and another layer of richness to the cake. I did not see a significant difference between low fat or full fat cream cheese.

sugar – You’ll need fine granulated sugar for the cake as well as powdered sugar to sift over the top of the cake when it’s finished.

vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste – The dense cake is delicious flavored with vanilla so don’t skimp on this.

eggs – The eggs add richness which really makes this pound cake next level.

flour – You don’t need any specialty flour for this. I tested it with cake flour, but found that unbleached, all-purpose flour gave it better texture.

leavening – You’ll need both baking powder and salt to give this cake lift.

ground cinnamon and orange zest – I use ground cinnamon and orange zest to add a bit more interest to the cake batter. You can substitute another spice like cardamom or ginger if you prefer as well as lemon zest if that’s what you have.

optional garnish – I love garnishing this beautiful cake with sugared cranberries and fresh mint leaves for a fun and festive presentation.

Step-by-Step Instructions

It’s pretty easy to make a homemade bundt cake for Christmas. No boxed cake mix here! Here’s how to prep this Christmas bundt cake recipe:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt cake pan or tube pan with baking spray. Allow both the butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature.

Place the brandy in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the dried fruit and allow to soak for ten minutes. Drain and pat dry with a towel.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the orange zest.

Sift together 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add this to the wet ingredients and blend well.

Combine the remaining ¼ cup flour with the fruit. Fold into the batter, then spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan. 

Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a cooling rack.

Sift the powdered sugar over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

Store leftovers in an airtight container and consume within 4 days.

Freezing instructions

Freezing cake is a great way to stretch your baking investments.

• Bake your cake and then cool it completely on a rack.
• Wrap the cake with a double layer of plastic wrap or use a single layer of plastic and slip the item into a freezer bag. For slices that you’ll serve one at a time, wrap each one individually and place all the slices in a bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
• Thaw, wrapped, at room temperature. Consume within a couple days for best texture.

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