Adventurous Christmas baking ideas

Looking to bake something a little more adventurous this Christmas? Our creative Christmas cake recipes for impressive gingerbread castles, limoncello layer cakes and beautiful Christmas puddings are sure to wow your guests.

See all adventurous Christmas baking ideas

Editor's choice

This stunning loaf is layered with hazelnut chocolate spread and twisted into a star shape

Uncle John's Bakery's tear and share chocolate bread

0 comments

With zesty segments of orange and crushed pistachios this easy Christmas Pavlova is the perfect pud for the big day

Orange, cardamom and pistachio pavlova crown

0 comments

This sparkly showstopper will impress everyone on Christmas Day

Sparkly Christmas forest cake

0 comments

Melted snowman cake

0 comments

Poached pears add a delicate sweetness to this simple homemade Christmas cake

Poached pear caramel drip cake

0 comments

The only thing better than homemade chocolate chip cookies is a giant stack of them, sandwiched together with festively spiced vanilla ice cream and dripping in caramel and chocolate sauce.

Giant ice cream sandwich

0 comments

Try something different for your Christmas cake this year with this twist on a festive Italian bake, which is packed full of rich, fruity flavours. The sultanas and zesty citrus of the panettone is complemented by the velvety orange buttercream and caramel

Panettone layer cake with orange buttercream and orange caramel

0 comments

Wow your guests with this gingerbread masterpiece – a stunning alternative to traditional Christmas cake

Naked gingerbread wreath cake

0 comments

The ultimate chocolate showstopper that's guaranteed to impress your friends and family! This delicious layer cake is sandwiched with white chocolate icing and Nutella icing and topped with a super crunchy (and beautiful!) hazelnut praline

Hazelnut and double chocolate cake

0 comments

This pretty low sugar cake recipe is perfect for any celebration or special occasion, using Stevia to replace the sugar. The fruity sponges are sandwiched with creamy citrus icing and a drizzle of tangy orange curd for a treat everyone can enjoy.

Low sugar St Clement’s cake

0 comments

Transform classic Christmas cake into a simple yet stunning centrepiece with beautiful rustic decorations, sweet amaretto-spiced icing, and an almond-encrusted marzipan pinecone

Woodland wreath Christmas cake

0 comments

Kick off the festivities in style with this sparkly confetti cake that's quite literally exploding with chocolate stars and glittery gold sprinkles

Confetti cannon cake

0 comments

The Scandis know a thing or two about yuletide baking. Impress the family this Christmas with this splendid two-tiered cake made with ground almonds and raspberry jam: Festive, impressive and delicious.

Scandi Christmas cake

0 comments

See popular adventurous Christmas baking ideas

Gluten-free quick Christmas cake

482

0 comments

The impressive gluten-free fruitcake is elegant, delicious, and easy to prepare

Serves 16
250 mins
758 calories

Gingerbread cheesecake

242

0 comments

For a showstopping Christmas dessert, try this impressive gingerbread cheesecake recipe. A rich, creamy baked cheesecake is given a festive makeover with seasonal spices, ginger nut biscuit base and a drizzle of caramel sauce to finish.

Serves 14
40 mins to prepare and 1 hr 5 mins to cook, plus 2 hrs chilling
470 calories

Sausage plait with caramelised onions

197

0 comments

This family favourite is made extra special thanks to fresh thyme, fragrant rosemary and sweet sundried tomato paste

Serves 6
75 mins
531 calories

Salted caramel tart

155

0 comments

An elegant and sumptious salted caramel tart with a rich chocolate ganache topping, perfect for a show-stopping dessert

Serves 12
120 mins
514 calories

Apple baklava

137

0 comments

Baklava is a delicious filo pastry dessert filled with chopped nuts and honey. Here it's given a cinnamon and apple twist, making it a perfect autumn treat: Thin slices of apple enveloped in layers of buttered filo pastry and baked, then topped with nuts and syrup.

Serves 12
145 mins
504 calories

Gluten-free cranberry and pecan Christmas pudding

0 comments

This showstopping Christmas pudding is made even more impressive by the fact that it is gluten-free! Packed full of fruity, zesty flavours with the crunch of pecans and the luxurious hit of brandy, this dessert is sure be a blazing hit.

Serves 8
4 hrs to prepare and 6 hrs 30 mins to cook
642 calories

Butternut squash and Stilton filo pie

0 comments

The buttery filo pastry of this vegetarian main crisps up beautifully, encasing sweetly-nutty and earthy vegetables, fragrant spices and the luxuriously creamy tang of Stilton cheese.

Serves 6
15 mins to prepare and 1 hour 30 mins to cook
392 calories

Savoury cheesecake

0 comments

Cheesecake, but not as you know it. This savoury twist on the classic has a gluten-free breadcrumb base, fragrant cream cheese filling and is topped with a vibrant medley of beets and shallots for a gorgeous free-from main.

Serves 10
10 mins to prepare and 1 hr 35 mins to cook, plus cooling
427 calories

See all adventurous Christmas baking ideas