Christmas cakes in Ghana: prices, types and when to order (October 2026)

When most Ghanaians say Christmas cake, they mean a rich fruit cake: a dense, dark cake packed with raisins, currants, cherries and mixed peel, often soaked in fruit juice or a little spirit. Some bakers cover it in marzipan and white icing; many sell it plain, sliced or whole.

Around December you'll also find:

• Christmas-themed sponge cakes in red, green and gold, priced like any birthday cake of the same size
• Christmas cupcake boxes, a popular office and family gift
• Bento cakes with a festive message for one or two people
• Cake hampers for staff and clients, often a fruit cake with drinks or other treats

Our Christmas cake price page lists every Christmas and fruit cake price we found this season, with the baker and a link to each listing.

In October 2026 we found Christmas and fruit cakes at GH₵150 to GH₵850. The price depends on:

• Size or weight. Fruit cakes are often sold by weight (500g, 1kg, 2kg) rather than in inches, so compare price per kilo when you can.
• The fruit and soaking. More fruit, nuts and a longer soak cost more. Ask whether it's soaked in juice or alcohol if that matters to your family or office.
• Icing. Marzipan and royal icing or fondant add cost and work.
• Packaging. Gift boxes, ribbons and branded labels for corporate orders usually cost extra.

Supermarkets also sell packaged fruit cakes. Check the weight when you compare them with a baker's cake.

December is the busiest month of the year for Ghanaian bakers, with Christmas, end-of-year parties, weddings and Detty December events all at once. Popular bakers stop taking orders once their calendar is full, so:

• Office and hamper orders: ask for quotes in November.
• Fruit cakes: order in early December, or earlier. A rich fruit cake keeps well; Nigella Lawson's advice is that rich fruit cakes can be made up to three months ahead of Christmas, and frozen for up to a year.
• Cream and sponge Christmas cakes: order a week or two ahead, and collect them as close to the day as you can.

Always ask your baker for their last Christmas order date and delivery days, and whether they close over the holidays.

A fruit cake is the easiest Christmas cake to keep, but heat and humidity still matter:

• Wrap it in baking paper first, then foil. Don't wrap it in foil alone, because the fruit can react with it.
• Keep it in an airtight tin or container somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
• Iced or marzipan cakes are best kept cool and dry so the icing doesn't sweat.

Cream, whipped cream and buttercream Christmas cakes are different: keep them in the fridge until shortly before serving. Our guide to whipped cream, buttercream and fondant explains which finishes cope with heat.

Fake cake and gift pages appear every December, because people order in a hurry. Ghana's Cyber Security Authority warns about fake online shops on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram that take payment to MoMo wallets in names that don't match the shop. Before paying:

• check the baker has a real history of customer photos and a pickup location
• pay only a deposit, to an account in the business's name
• be wary of hamper and cake deals far cheaper than everyone else's

Our guide to ordering a cake safely has the full checklist. For office orders, we can get you up to three quotes from bakers in our directory.