Best Christmas cake for 2019 - goodhousekeeping.com

One of the original categories from our very first Christmas taste test was the best Christmas cake.

We’ve now being scouring the market for the best cake every year for 20 years, so we know just what to look for!

We tested a whopping 21 Christmas cakes to complete your magical Christmas meal.

The perfect cake should be filled with plump vine fruit, balanced spices and boast a good ratio of icing to marzipan making for a richly sweet and spiced flavour.

Our winner ticks all those boxes. You won’t regret switching the mixing bowl for this shop-bought delight.

Prices are subject to change.

1 WINNER: Waitrose 1 Richly Fruited Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 82/100

Waitrose was the winner of our best Christmas cake category. Adorned with gold and white fondant snowflakes with equal layers of fondant and marzipan and revealing a jam-packed, brandy-laced cake with plump vine fruits, tart citrus peel, glace cherries and warming cinnamon. Balanced with a sweet, nutty marzipan flavour which works well against the rich vine fruits.

This cake came first in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Waitrose & Partners, £16 for 1.3kg

2 RUNNER-UP: Iceland Luxury Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 76/100

Classic in design with a thick layer of soft icing and marzipan and filled with large pieces of vine fruits - Iceland was the runner up in the best Christmas cake category. Spiked with brandy and cognac, we enjoyed the sweet, spiced aroma and the fruity flavour of this moist spiced cake.

This cake came second in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Iceland, £8 for 1kg

3 Aldi Specially Selected Luxury Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 74/100

Aldi's cake comes with a pearlescent shimmer with a multi layered star on top. There are raisins galore but the icing is a little dry and hard. Testers enjoyed the Christmassy aroma of cinnamon and gently spiked with alcohol. Fruity and sweet but the marzipan flavour is lost and there is a bitterness at the end.

This cake came joint in third our best Christmas cake taste test.

In-store only, Aldi, £11.99 for 1.5kg

4 Meg Rivers Fully Iced Classic Christmas Cake in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust

Overall Score: 74/100

Uniform layers of marzipan and icing cover this crumbly fruit cake. Far less fruited and light in colour compared to others. It has a good amount of sweetness with a lovely hit of ginger and pleasant crunch from the walnuts.

This cake came joint third in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Meg Rivers, £25 for 730g

5 Daylesford Traditional Organic Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 74/100

Although missing a typical layer of icing and marzipan, we liked its golden and densely fruited appearance. Deep, rich fruit aroma with a full-bodied brandy note, we enjoyed the sweet vine fruits richness, but it lacked an overall sweetness to balance out the brandy and tart fruits and was too gritty in texture.

This cake came joint third in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Ocado, £20 for 800g

6 Tesco Finest Rich Fruit Cake

Overall Score: 71/100

Thick layers of fondant and marzipan top this cake with swirls of silver lustre and a silver fondant star. Slightly dry in appearance but has a wonderful marzipan, brandy and cognac aroma. Well rounded flavour of sweet fruit and alcohol with rich marzipan. Some found it to be overloaded with alcohol and noted that the texture of the cake was dry.

This cake came sixth in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Tesco, £10 for 907g

7 Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Holly Wreath Iced Fruit Cake

Overall Score: 70/100

Decorated with gold and shimmery white fondant holly leaves, this Christmas cake looks deliciously fruity and moist with a thick marzipan and fondant layer. Delicate notes of sweet vine fruits, candied citrus and gentle clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, testers thoroughly enjoyed the lightly spiced fruity cake with a warming quality from the brandy.

This cake came joint seventh in our best Christmas cake taste test.

Sainsbury’s, £10 for 900g

8 Bettys Soft Iced Star Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 70/100

This Christmas cake is spiced in aroma and flavour and likened to gingerbread with a nice fruity flavour. Testers enjoyed the delicate fondant star design on top but found it had an overly sweet after taste and although a touch too dry for some it was generally quite moist.

This cake came joint seventh in our best Christmas cake taste test.

BUY NOW Betty’s, £30 for 1.5kg

9 The Original Cake Company Brandy Fruit and Nut Cake

Overall Score: 69/100

Black treacle gives this fruit cake its dark and rich appearance. Glace cherries and flaked almonds on top add a pop of colour and sweetness. The aroma is lightly spiced with hints of brandy, but testers agreed that the flavour of the fruit cake was bitter with a slightly burnt after taste and a dry texture.

This cake came ninth in our best Christmas cake taste test.

Booths, £6 for 350g

10 Co-op All Over Iced Christmas Cake

Overall Score: 68/100

A good, even ratio of raisins to fruit cake, but the marzipan and icing layer didn’t hold on very well once cut into. Sweet and fruity with a gentle nutty aroma from the marzipan. Testers enjoyed the fruity flavour of the cake and the nice sweetness added from the icing layers, but it was pretty bland and lacking spices to elevate the dry, lack lustre cake.

This cake came tenth in our best Christmas cake taste test.

In-store only, Co-op, £7 for 907g

11 We also tested..

M&S The Collection Iced Christmas Centrepiece Cake 68/100, £20 for 1.54kg

Lidl Deluxe Luxury Hand Decorated Christmas Cake 67/100, £12.99 for 1.5kg

Morrisons The Best Poinsettia Christmas Cake 65/100, £14 for 1.5kg

Lewis & Cooper Luxury 6 Inch Square Fruit Cake 64/100,£14.99 for 1kg

Fiona Cairns Mistletoe Christmas Cake 64/100, £28 for 1.3kg

Asda Extra Special Fully Iced Fruit Cake 63/100, £9 for 907g

Harvey Nichols Christmas Cake Selection 63/100, £14.95 for 150g

Biscuiteers Christmas Cake 57/100, £48 for 1.915kg

Cartwright & Butler Iced Christmas Cake in a Round Tin 55/100, £18 for 700g