If you’re after a simple and quick Christmas dessert, the easy Christmas tree cake is just what you need. It boasts a straightforward dough, akin to the beloved bundt cake, baked in a Christmas tree-shaped mold. To enhance the festive vibe, decorate it with whipped cream for a snowy effect and add colorful candy like M&M’s to mimic festive ornaments. For a lifelike touch, consider coloring the batter with a dash of green food coloring. Alternatively, you can use matcha tea powder for a natural hue, while the trunk gets a Nutella spread. The Christmas tree cake batter can be crafted from your favorite recipe, even a basic sponge cake. For added fun, involve your little ones in decorating the Christmas tree cake: it’s a delightful holiday activity!
You might also like:
Ingredients for the easy Christmas tree cake
For the Christmas tree cake dough
To garnish the Christmas tree cake
Tools
How to prepare the easy Christmas tree-shaped cake
Qui puoi leggere la ricetta in italiano!
To whip up the easy Christmas tree-shaped cake, begin by letting the eggs reach room temperature for about half an hour. This step is crucial since cold fridge eggs struggle to achieve the desired fluffiness. Crack them into a bowl with sugar and grated orange zest. Beat the mixture with electric beaters for 6-7 minutes until it becomes light and frothy.
Warm the milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and the mixture becomes warm. Note: avoid boiling the milk; as soon as it’s warm, turn off the heat.
In the bowl with the eggs, sift the flour and baking powder, continuing to mix with the beaters to incorporate them into the mixture.
While mixing, gradually pour in the milk and butter mixture. Continue mixing and add the green food coloring. If using liquid colors, about two tablespoons are needed for a pale green shade. If using gel colors, a few drops will suffice.
Alternatively, you can use 2 heaping teaspoons of matcha tea for a sage green color. Ultimately, the batter should be smooth and liquid.
Pour it into the Christmas tree-shaped mold, ensuring even distribution. If using a paper or silicone mold like I did, no need to butter it. For other molds, butter and flour thoroughly for easy unmolding later.
Bake the Christmas tree-shaped cake in a preheated oven at 356 °F (180 °C) for 30-35 minutes, performing the toothpick test to confirm doneness. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Once completely cool, gently unmold and place it upside down on a plate so that the darker top part remains facing downward. Use a knife to delicately remove the thin surface layer, revealing the greener part at the cake’s center (10).
You can leave the trunk and branches as is, as they will be part of the decoration. Spread a layer of Nutella on the trunk and use a fork to create small veins, simulating wood (12).
Whip the cream thoroughly with sugar and place it in a piping bag with a star tip. Following the outline of the Christmas tree cake, create many small whipped cream bows to mimic snow.
Form other small mounds in the center of the cake and on the tip . Place M&M’s on some of the whipped cream bows to secure them. Feel free to unleash your creativity; I arranged 3 yellow candies on the tip to mimic a tree topper, and placed others of different colors on the branch tips and in the center.
Your Christmas tree-shaped cake is ready; serve it immediately or refrigerate. Perfect for breakfast or a snack.
How to store
For advance preparation, bake the base the day before. Decorate with whipped cream a few hours before serving and refrigerate. Add M&M’s to the Christmas tree cake only at the last moment to prevent the color from bleeding due to cream moisture.
Tips and variations
For a post-dinner treat, especially on Christmas day, consider slicing the Christmas tree-shaped cake in half and filling it as desired. Some ideas include pastry cream, coconut cream or chantilly.
Varied doses for servings