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Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 77 reviews

Delight in these charming Christmas tree cakes featuring a moist cocoa sponge layered with creamy green buttercream and decorated with festive sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this recipe guides you through baking, shaping, and decorating whimsical tree-shaped cakes that are both delicious and visually festive.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 200ml vegetable oil, plus extra for the tin
  • 80g cocoa powder
  • 250g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 250g light brown soft sugar
  • 225ml natural yogurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs

Buttercream Ingredients

  • 250g salted butter, softened
  • 400g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • Green food colouring gel
  • Sprinkles or sweets (star and ball shapes recommended for tree toppers and baubles)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare baking tin: Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Lightly oil a 22 x 32cm baking tin and line it with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
  2. Prepare cocoa paste: Place the cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl and stir in 125ml of hot water from the kettle until you form a smooth paste. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, light brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Shake or sift the mixture a few times to break up any lumps, then mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
  4. Combine wet ingredients: Add the vegetable oil, natural yogurt, vanilla extract, and eggs to the cooled cocoa paste. Whisk these together until you get a smooth, even mixture.
  5. Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk everything together until you achieve a loose, lump-free batter ready for baking.
  6. Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake in the oven’s center for 25 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center—if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
  7. Prepare green buttercream: Using an electric whisk, beat the softened butter with icing sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth and creamy. Add green food colouring gel a few drops at a time, mixing thoroughly until you achieve a bright, uniform green color.
  8. Shape the cakes: Remove the cooled sponge from the tin and place it on a large board or tray. Rotate it so a short edge faces you. Cut the sides at an angle to form a triangular tree shape, then trim the short edge to create a trunk. Use the offcut pieces to form a second tree on another board, joining angled sides together, and shape these leftovers into a trunk as well.
  9. Decorate the cakes: Divide the green buttercream between two piping bags fitted with star nozzles. Pipe the buttercream generously over the tree shapes, leaving the trunks plain. Finish by decorating with your choice of sprinkles or festive sweets to mimic ornaments and tree toppers.
  10. Store and serve: Keep the decorated cakes in an airtight container where they will stay fresh for up to four days. The unbaked sponge can be wrapped and frozen for up to three months.

Notes

  • You can freeze the baked sponge before decorating for up to three months, making this recipe great for early preparation.
  • Adjust the intensity of green in the buttercream by adding food colouring gel slowly to get your preferred shade.
  • Use star and ball-shaped sprinkles for an authentic Christmas tree look with fun edible decorations.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before applying buttercream to prevent melting and sliding.
  • If you don’t have an electric whisk, a sturdy hand whisk can be used but will require more effort for the buttercream.

Keywords: Christmas cake, holiday dessert, cocoa sponge cake, buttercream frosting, festive cake, tree shaped cakes, holiday baking, chocolate cake

Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/christmas-tree-cakes-recipe/