From plum cake to stollen: The best Christmas cake in India right now

Christmas in India has never been the snow-globe ideal—no chimneys, no steaming cocoa by the fire, barely any neighbourhood carollers. Instead, it arrives through smaller cues: the first plum cake of the season, the steady build-up of evenings out, the rituals that don’t need snow to feel nostalgic. Between Christmas Eve parties and Secret Santas, the month quietly becomes a search for the best Christmas cakes in India.

Ruby Islam, Head Chef at Manam Chocolate, still remembers the taste of the Christmas cake a friend’s grandmother would make. “For me, that homemade cake remains the benchmark of what a traditional Christmas cake in India should taste like. Christmas in India has always been about celebrating with a sense of togetherness. And her recipe stood out as something truly special,” she says. 

The classic plum cake—India’s original Christmas cake— can be traced back to the 1880s in Kerala, when a British merchant handed the Royal Biscuit Factory a recipe and asked for a batch of cake. Local improvisation took over almost immediately: the batter was mixed with a cashew-apple brew in place of the less accessible brandy. 

For decades, the tradition lived inside Indian homes. “Baking Christmas cake began as a family tradition with mothers and homemakers baking their own versions. The last 15 years have seen a shift to bakeries, patisseries, and even small businesses taking it up, along with a nationwide boom in pastry culture,” says Islam. 

Today, the traditional plum Christmas cake has splintered into countless variations. Indian rums replace brandy, spice mixes keep evolving, fruit-soaking methods vary by household and by city. And it now shares the table with an expanding lineup of European imports: marzipan, the German stollen and the Yule Log—a cake shaped like a tree branch that nods to old winter solstice traditions. Gingerbread houses and cookies have made their way in too.

“Christmas is a season defined by richness—not just of fruits and maceration, but of spices and nuts,” says Islam.  

Kallivayalil Bakes—Kerala’s long-standing Christmas institution

What began as Sheela Tomy Kallivayalil baking cakes for an old-age home is now a full-blown operation dedicated to Christmas cravings. Though it started with a simple family recipe, Kallivayalil has since passed into the hands of the next generation. Their process is slow and deliberate: fruits and nuts are soaked in premium rum or fruit juice from January, and the cakes go on sale only by November. The lineup is straightforward: the Fruit Cake, the Super Rich Fruit Cake, and the Exquisite Fruit Cake, all designed to last six months.  

What they are known for: Traditional Christmas cakes, including some of the richest plum cakes made with fruits soaked in rum or juice from January every year.

Signature Christmas items:

– Fruit Cake
– Super Rich Fruit Cake
– Exquisite Fruit Cake

Delivery / availability:

– Ships pan-India
– Christmas cakes available from November onwards
– Long shelf life (up to six months)

Location:

Pala, Kerala

Order / contact: 

Phone: 01273338540

Website: Kallivayalilbakes.com

Price:
₹825 onwards 

Miam Patisserie—Delhi’s modern French take on the Yule log

Chef Bani Nanda’s Bûche de Noël—a French Yule log cake—is layered, structured, and quietly extravagant. Peanut sponge, caramel, toasted peanuts, strawberry and roselle jam, and vanilla mousse form a dessert that feels global, not nostalgic. The Winter Christmas menu also includes a Christmas Tea Cake (comprising almond, orange zest, and mahua flowers) and a guilt-free carrot cake with taal and maple syrup. Miam’s Christmas Basket is a ready-made food gift hamper with a Tea Cake, Diamant Cookies, Spiced Orange Sauce, Strawberry Rhubarb and Roselle Jam, and Sea Salt Butter Caramel Toffees. 

What they’re known for: Christmas Tea Cake, Bûche de Noël and Christmas Basket.

Signature Christmas items:
– Bûche de Noël (Yule Log)
– Christmas Tea Cake (almond, orange zest, mahua)
– Carrot Cake (taal + maple syrup version)
– Christmas Basket (cakes, sauces, toffees, cookies)

Delivery / availability:
– Delivery across Delhi-NCR
– Limited-edition Christmas menu

Location:
Lado Sarai, Delhi

Order / contact:
Phone: 09871441164
Website:Miampatisserie.com

Price:
₹1,600 (Christmas Log Cake, 700g)

Glenary's Bakery—Darjeeling’s old-world plum cake ritual

Established in 1885, Glenary’s is as close as India gets to an old-fashioned mountain bakery. Their liquor-marinated plum cake—steeped for two months—is a seasonal draw. Fruit Cake, Almond Sponge Cake, Currant Loaf, marzipan, and chocolates round out the festive counter. 

What they’re known for: Heritage plum cakes, liquor-marinated for two months—a signature of Darjeeling’s festive season.

Signature Christmas items:
– Traditional Plum Cake
– Fruit Cake
– Almond Sponge Cake
– Currant Loaf
– Marzipan
– Chocolates

Delivery / availability:
– In-store purchase only
– Seasonal Christmas specials

Location:
Chauk Bazaar, Darjeeling, West Bengal

Order / contact:
Phone: 9635162005

Price:
₹200 (Plum Cake) 

Landour Bakehouse—the Himalayan Christmas classic

A two-hour drive from Dehradun, Landour Bakehouse has its own Christmas mythology. Betty Blickenstaff’s Fruit Cake—their version of a traditional Christmas cake—anchors the menu, but loyalists also return for Chocolate Cake, Coffee Walnut Cake, Popcorn Caramel Cake, and Stout Cake. The Old-Fashioned Stick Jaw Candy is a nostalgic best-seller. Their Batternberg Cake Loaf—a pink-and-yellow checkerboard sponge wrapped in marzipan—is the holiday order worth planning a trip around. 

What they’re known for: Old-school baking and their take on the classic Christmas fruit cake, set against the backdrop of Landour’s winterline.

Signature Christmas items:
– Betty Blickenstaff’s Fruit Cake
– Chocolate Cake
– Coffee Walnut Cake
– Popcorn Caramel Cake
– Stout (Beer) Cake
– Cheesecakes
– Batternberg Cake (checkerboard sponge wrapped in marzipan)

Delivery / availability:
– In-store purchase only
– Festive cakes available through December

Location:
Sister’s Bazaar, Landour (Uttarakhand)

Order / contact:
Phone: 08755343343

Price:
₹130 per slice (Betty Blickenstaff’s Fruit Cake) onwards 

Magnolia Bakery—American-style Christmas comfort 

Magnolia’s Indian outposts lean into festive familiarity: richly spiced plum cake, Christmas cupcakes, cookies, and whole cakes laden with dried fruits and nuts. Eggless versions and non-alcoholic plum cakes cater to the Indian palate, making the bakery a December staple.

What they’re known for:
Rich, spiced plum cakes, Christmas cupcakes and cookies inspired by Magnolia’s New York legacy.

Signature Christmas items:
– Spiced Plum Cake
– Christmas-themed whole cakes
– Cupcakes and cookies
– Eggless and non-alcoholic plum cake variants

Delivery / availability:
– Delivery available within each city
– Seasonal Christmas menu

Locations:
Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gurugram

Order / contact:
Website: Magnoliabakery.in

Price:
₹240 onwards (Spiced Plum Cake)

Subko Coffee Roasters—New-age Indian baking meets the Christmas calendar

Subko’s traditional Christmas Cake comes with a gluten-free sponge cake filled with rum-soaked fruits and nuts, topped with mascarpone cream, and drizzled with a spiced-rum syrup. It is available from 12 to 31 December. The Hazepresso Babka Loaf—a combination of Brioche and Hokkaido with housemade ‘Notella’ and espresso syrup—and the Mosambi Tea Cake round out their seasonal list. If Christmas had a contemporary Indian aesthetic, Subko is closest to defining it.  

What they’re known for: Technically crafted, flavour-forward baking—especially their gluten-free, rum-soaked Christmas cake.

Signature Christmas items:
– Traditional Christmas Cake (gluten-free sponge, rum-soaked fruits)
– Hazepresso Babka Loaf
– Mosambi Tea Cake

Delivery / availability:
– Limited delivery within Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi
– Christmas cake available from 12–31 December

Locations:
Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi

Order / contact:
Website: Subko.coffee

Price:
₹267 onwards (Traditional Christmas Cake)

Manam Chocolate—India’s craft-chocolate take on Christmas

Manam Chocolate leans fully into flavour. Their Christmas Fruit Cake and buttery Marzipan Stollen sit alongside Gingerbread Cookie Croissants, Vanilla Spice Danish, and an entire festive chocolate collection. The Christmas Spice Chocolate Tablet, Mint Chocolate Bark, Cookies & Candied Orange Tablet, and the 12-piece Holiday Bonbon selection make Manam the most experimental option on the list. 

What they’re known for:
Chocolate-led interpretations of festive classics, including their buttery Marzipan Stollen.

Signature Christmas items:
– Christmas Fruit Cake
– Marzipan Stollen
– Gingerbread Cookie Croissant
– Vanilla Spice Danish
– Christmas Spice Chocolate Tablet
– Mint Chocolate Bark
– 12-piece Holiday Bonbon Selection

Delivery / availability:
– Delivery pan-India, and outlets in Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR
– Seasonal Christmas chocolate collection

Location:
Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR

Order / contact:
Website:Manamchocolate.com

Price:
₹ 315 onwards (Christmas Fruit Cake, 170g)

Saldanha Bakery—Kolkata’s Anglo-Indian Christmas classic 

Known for its Christmas cakes—especially its rich plum and fruit cake—Saldanha Bakery has been a festive-season staple in Kolkata since 1930. Still run by the Saldanha family, the bakery continues operating much like it did decades ago; the charm here is in continuity.  

What they’re known for:
Traditional, homestyle Christmas cakes, bakes, and rum balls, alongside old-school puffs and patties.

Signature Christmas items:
– Rich Fruit Cake/Christmas Cake
– Walnut Cake
– Chocolate Walnut Cake
– British Tea Time Cake

Delivery / availability:
– Delivery across Kolkata
– Limited-edition festive Christmas menu through December
– Christmas specials often sell out early; pre-orders recommended

Location:
Wellesley, Kolkata 

Order / contact:
Phone: 08619777582
Website:Saldanhabakery.info

Price:
₹520 (Rich fruit cake)

Confeitaria 31 de Janeiro—Panjim’s historic Goan-Portuguese bakery

Tucked inside the Latin quarters of Fontainhas, Confeitaria 31 de Janeiro is one of Goa’s oldest surviving Goan-Portuguese bakeries. Established in 1930 and still family-run, it operates from a heritage building with a traditional wood-fired oven. Locals return for recipes that have barely changed in decades: dense rum-kissed cakes, coconut-heavy Goan sweets, and Christmas staples that are timeless rather than trendy.  

What they’re known for:
Traditional Goan-Portuguese Christmas cakes and sweets made using old recipes and a wood-fired oven.

Signature Christmas items:
– Plum Cake
– Rum and Raisin Cake
– Mini Bolinas (Goan-style coconut cookies)
– Dodol (Goan coconut–jaggery rice sweet)
– Bebinca (multi-layered Goan dessert)

Delivery / availability:
– Delivery across Goa
– Limited-edition festive menu through December
– Christmas specials often sell out early; pre-orders recommended

Location:
Fontainhas, Panjim 

Order / contact:
Phone: 0918322225791

Price:
₹600 (Plum cake/1 kg)