Introduction

Celebrate the festive season with these charming Christmas tree cakes, perfect for holiday gatherings or as a fun baking project. Moist chocolate sponge layers are shaped into trees and decorated with creamy green buttercream and colorful sprinkles, creating an eye-catching centerpiece that’s as delicious as it is festive.

Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe - Recipe Image

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
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 are nice for the tree topper and baubles)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). Lightly oil a 22 x 32cm baking tin and line it with baking parchment. In a heatproof bowl, mix the cocoa powder with 125ml hot water until you have a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, brown sugar, and ½ tsp salt. Shake the bowl a few times to expose any lumps of sugar, then break these up and mix again to ensure everything is evenly combined.
Step 3: Add the vegetable oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, and eggs to the cooled cocoa paste. Whisk thoroughly until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and whisk until you get a loose, lump-free batter.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. You can wrap and freeze the cake for up to three months if needed.
Step 5: For the buttercream, beat the softened butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together using an electric whisk until smooth and creamy. Add a few drops of green food colouring gel and mix again until the color is bright and even.
Step 6: Remove the cooled sponge from the tin and place it on a large board or tray with one short edge facing you. Cut angled sides to form a triangular tree shape, then trim the short edge at the front to create a trunk. Use the offcut pieces to make a second tree and its trunk on another board, fitting angled pieces together by their longest sides.
Step 7: Divide the buttercream between two piping bags fitted with star nozzles. Pipe the buttercream over the trees as you like, leaving the trunks plain. Decorate with sprinkles or sweets to represent ornaments, adding stars or balls on top for a festive finish.

Tips & Variations

Use different colors of food colouring to create multi-colored buttercream decorations for a more vibrant look.
For a gluten-free version, substitute plain flour with a gluten-free flour blend, adjusting baking time as needed.
Try adding a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the cocoa paste to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Use festive-themed sprinkles like edible glitter or snowflakes to suit your holiday decor.

Storage

Store the decorated Christmas tree cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Avoid refrigerating as it may dry out the cake and affect the buttercream’s texture. If frozen before decorating, wrap tightly and freeze for up to three months; thaw completely before icing and decorating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these cakes ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the sponge layers in advance and freeze them, wrapped tightly, for up to three months. Thaw fully before cutting and decorating to ensure the best texture and flavor.

What if I don’t have green food colouring gel?

You can use green liquid food colouring, but use less as it can make the buttercream runnier. Alternatively, mix yellow and blue gel or powders to create a green shade.

Christmas Tree Cakes Recipe

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4.6 from 550 reviews

These festive Christmas Tree Cakes are a delightful chocolate sponge treat shaped like Christmas trees and decorated with vibrant green buttercream and colorful sprinkles. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these cakes combine a rich cocoa-flavored sponge with a smooth buttercream frosting, piped to resemble a decorated Christmas tree. They are easy to make and keep well, making them a wonderful holiday dessert to share.

Author: Cleo
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 Christmas tree cakes 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

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 Frosting

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 for tree toppers and baubles)

Instructions

Prepare the oven and tin: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4. Oil a 22 x 32 cm baking tin and line it with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
Make the cocoa paste: Place the cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl and stir in 125ml of hot water from the kettle until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside to cool completely.
Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, light brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Shake the mixture to loosen any sugar lumps, then break them up by rubbing between your fingers. Mix well to fully combine.
Combine wet ingredients: Add the vegetable oil, natural yogurt, vanilla extract, and eggs to the cooled cocoa paste. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until you achieve a loose, lump-free batter. Scrape the batter into your prepared baking tin.
Bake the cake: Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out clean when ready. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin after baking.
Prepare the buttercream: Using an electric whisk, beat the softened salted butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together until smooth and creamy. Add green food colouring gel a few drops at a time and mix until you achieve a vibrant, even green color.
Shape the cakes: Turn the cooled sponge out onto a large board or tray. Rotate it so one of the short edges faces you. Cut the sides on an angle to form a triangular tree shape, then trim the short edge to form a trunk. Arrange the offcuts on a separate board to create another tree, joining angled sides together, and form the trunk from remaining offcuts.
Decorate the trees: Fill two piping bags fitted with star nozzles with the green buttercream. Pipe the buttercream onto the trees as desired, leaving the trunks plain. Decorate with sprinkles or sweets to mimic ornaments. Store the decorated cakes in an airtight container, good for up to four days.

Notes

You can freeze the uniced sponge for up to three months, wrapped well.
Use star and ball-shaped sweets or sprinkles for authentic Christmas tree decorations.
Ensure the cocoa paste is completely cooled before mixing to prevent curdling in the batter.
For a different color theme, adjust the food coloring in the buttercream accordingly.
These cakes are best enjoyed at room temperature for optimal texture and flavor.

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