This super easy Christmas Tree Cake is so fun to make and decorate and the perfect festive activity with the kids. A light and moist chocolate cake layered with buttercream and jam and then cut into a Christmas tree and iced with decorations.
About this Christmas Tree Cake Recipe
I am the first to admit that I am NOT a cake decorator! You can probably work that out for yourself by now!
I debated whether to share this recipe, because the decoration does look a bit like one of those Pinterest fails, but it tastes AMAZING, so that's all that matters, right?
This Christmas tree cake recipe is made from our favourite easy chocolate cake recipe that uses yogurt to keep it so moist and fluffy. Then you can pretty much decorate it any way you want, just like you would an actual Christmas tree.
Looking for more festive recipes? Why not try our impressive Christmas Tree Cheese Board, our fun Christmas Chocolate Bark, fudgy Christmas Tree Brownies or delicious Mincemeat Pinwheels?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Butter - For best results, use room temperature butter (that is still a little cool to touch) as this will ensure and even consistency of the cake.
- Sugar - We used caster sugar and this adds more volume to the Christmas tree cake, and gives it a light and fluffy texture. If you don't have caster, then you can grind up granulated sugar in a food processor for a couple of minutes and use that instead.
- Eggs - We used medium eggs that were at room temperature (just leave them out for 30 minutes). Use room temperature eggs because they are easier to mix evenly and you will get a better volume cake.
- Flour and baking powder
- Cocoa powder - This is where all the chocolate flavour comes from. We use organic unsweetened.
- Vanilla - Use vanilla extract, not essence, as it has a more natural flavour and won't taste chemically.
- Yogurt - This might seem like a strange addition, but it gives a super moist cake!
- Chocolate Chips - For some extra chocolatiness. We used dark chocolate chips.
- Icing sugar - This is what is mixed with butter and a little milk to make the icing.
- Milk - To thin the icing out a little.
- Colour gel - We prefer colour gel rather than the liquid colouring as it gives a more vibrant colour.
- Jam - We love adding a layer of jam with the buttercream in the middle of the cake. It cuts though the creaminess and helps to keep it moist. We used cherry jam, but any jam will work.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make a Christmas Tree Cake - Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 30x20cm (12x10") baking tin.
- Step 1: Add the butter for the cake and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl (a). Mix together until light and fluffy (b).
- Step 2: Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
- Step 3: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder (a). Gently fold the dry ingredients in (b).
- Step 4: Add the yogurt, vanilla and chocolate chips (a). Carefully fold these into the mixture (b).
- Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the lined baking tin and smooth over. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Step 6: Once cooked, leave the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes (a). Slice the cake in half through the middle and spread the jam over the bottom half (b).
- Step 7: To make the buttercream, mix together the butter, icing sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (a).
Remove two small amounts and put in separate bowls. Add the colour gel and mix to get the desired colours (b).
- Step 8: Pipe about ⅓ of the green icing onto the jam. Put the top half of the cake back on and cut out a tree shape.
Starting from the bottom of the tree, pipe the remaining green icing in small downward motions, working upwards and slightly overlapping the row below.
Add small spots of red and yellow icing to make lights and baubles.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas tree cake is a dessert (or snack) all on its own. However, you can't go wrong with some custard or cream to serve it with.
But for us, it's a hot drink served with it for the ultimate comfort. If you love hot chocolate, then try our Peppermint Hot Chocolate or, for something boozy, try our Baileys Hot Chocolate.
For a caffeine hit, try our Chai Tea Latte or Cinnamon Coffee. We also have a whole selection of Christmas Drinks.
Christmas Tree Cake Ideas
This is a simple chocolate cake, so there aren't too many ways that you can adapt it. However, you can use any flavour cake you like. Prefer a classic Victoria sponge? Then you can use that instead.
It is Christmas, so why not add some festive flavours to this? Some orange zest and cinnamon and ginger would give a lovely Christmas vibe to this Christmas Tree Cake.
When it comes to the decoration, anything goes - much like an actual Christmas tree. Start with the cake in the shape of a Christmas tree. We have kept it simple with some green icing so it looks like a tree and then yellow dots for lights and red for baubles.
But you could do some tinsel icing and multicolour baubles. You could also add lots of sprinkles too. You could also add M&Ms for decorations.
Extra Tips
- Note that the nutritional information will be higher than actual, as not all of the cake is used, depending on how you cut the tree shape.
- You could swap the icing for a cream cheese frosting if you prefer.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before slicing it in half and adding the filing. It will fall apart otherwise.
- You could use a mini star shape cookie cutter to cut out a star from the off cuts of cake to put on top of the tree.
- We like to dust it with a little icing sugar before serving to make it look a little snowy.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you cut this cake into a Christmas tree shape, you will have some leftover cake. Don't throw it! You can make cake pops with it instead. Simple mash up the cake with some leftover frosting and roll into balls. Put a stick in them and dip into melted chocolate and cover with sprinkles and put in the fridge to set.
You can store this cake in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep it longer, you can put it in the fridge. However, it will dry out and it won't taste as nice.
Yes, to store it for even longer, you can slice it up and individually wrap each slice and put in a freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to a month.
More Cake Recipes
If you’ve made this cake in the shape of a Christmas tree, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Christmas Tree Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250 g (8.75 oz) Butter - softened
- 250 g (2 cups) Caster sugar
- 4 Eggs - medium
- 210 g (1.66 cups) Self-raising flour
- 20 g (0.25 cups) Cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 140 g (0.5 cups) Plain yogurt
- 50 g (0.25 cups) Chocolate chips - dark
For the buttercream and filling
- 250 g (8.75 oz) Butter
- 400 g Icing sugar
- 2 tablespoon Milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 100 g (0.25 cups) Jam
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Food colouring gel - Green
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Food colouring gel - Yellow
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) Food colouring gel - Red
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 30x20cm (12x10") baking tin.
To make the cake
- Add 250 g Butter and 250 g Caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix together until light and fluffy.
- Whisk in 4 Eggs one at a time.
- Sift in 210 g Self-raising flour, 20 g Cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon Baking powder. Gently fold the dry ingredients in.
- Add 140 g Plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract and 50 g Chocolate chips. Carefully fold these into the mixture.
- Pour the cake batter into the lined baking tin and smooth over. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Once cooked, leave the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Slice the cake in half through the middle and spread 100 g Jam over the bottom half.
To make the buttercream
- Mix together 250 g Butter, 400 g Icing sugar, 2 tablespoon Milk and 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract, until smooth.
- Remove two small amounts and put in separate bowls.
- Add 15 g Food colouring gel (green) to the large amount and 5 g Food colouring gel (red) and 5 g Food colouring gel (yellow) to the smaller amounts. Mix well to get the desired colours.
To make the cake
- Pipe about ⅓ of the green icing onto the jam. Put the top half of the cake back on and cut out a tree shape.
- Starting from the bottom of the tree, pipe the remaining green icing in small downward motions, working upwards and slightly overlapping the row below.
- Add small spots of red and yellow icing to make lights and baubles.
Recipe Tips
- Note that the nutritional information will be higher than actual, as not all of the cake is used, depending on how you cut the tree shape.
- You could swap the icing for a cream cheese frosting if you prefer.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before slicing it in half and adding the filing. It will fall apart otherwise.
- You could use a mini star shape cookie cutter to cut out a star from the off cuts of cake to put on top of the tree.
- We like to dust it with a little icing sugar before serving to make it look a little snowy.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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