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My Christmas Sheet Cake brings so much joy to our holiday gatherings. I created this recipe when I needed something special for our school bake sale and now it's become our family tradition. The vanilla confetti cake tastes amazing but watching everyone's faces light up when they see that buttercream Christmas tree makes my heart so happy. Best of all I can whip it up even with all the holiday chaos going on.
A Holiday Must Have
You won't believe how simple this cake is to make. Even with my busy schedule I can pull it together without any fancy tools. The buttercream tree looks impressive but it's actually quite forgiving to decorate. My favorite part is how easily it travels to parties and everyone can grab a slice without any fuss. I often make the cake layer ahead when I have time.
Your Shopping List
- Flour: Two and three quarter cups regular flour gives the perfect soft texture.
- Eggs: Three large eggs let them sit on the counter first.
- Oil: One cup vegetable oil keeps everything moist.
- Buttermilk: One cup room temperature adds such lovely flavor.
- Sprinkles: Half cup holiday colors make it festive inside and out.
- Butter: One and half cups for silky frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Six cups creates perfectly smooth buttercream.
- Food Coloring: Green gel makes that beautiful tree color.
- Candies: Grab some colorful mini chocolates for decorating.
- Sour Candy: One red strip makes the cutest tree topper bow.
Lets Make Magic
- Start With Your Cake
- Heat your oven to 350°F and spray your big sheet pan. Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl. In another whisk your sugar and eggs until they look pale then add oil and vanilla. Mix in your flour and buttermilk bit by bit. Finally fold in those pretty sprinkles.
- Baking Time
- Pour everything into your pan and let it bake about 20 minutes until it bounces back when touched. Give it a full hour to cool nobody likes melted frosting.
- Whip Up The Frosting
- Beat your butter until its super fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly unless you want a sugar cloud in your kitchen. Add milk and vanilla then beat it until its light and airy. Save a little white frosting then color the rest green.
- Time To Decorate
- Cover your cake with white frosting first. Draw your tree shape then start piping green branches from bottom to top. Each little swipe of frosting becomes a branch.
- Make It Sparkle
- Add your garland lights and ornaments. That red candy bow on top makes everything look perfect. Dont forget to add some sprinkles around the edges and tiny snow dots.
My Secret Tips
A tiny drop of blue food coloring makes the green look just like a real pine tree. Keep wiping your spatula clean between branches. I always measure my tree shape first nobody wants a wonky Christmas tree. Pop the cake in the fridge for a few minutes if the frosting gets too soft while decorating.
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Make It Your Own
Sometimes I use silver balls instead of sprinkles for a fancier look. My kids love choosing different candies for the ornaments each year. You can even pipe mini trees all over the cake its so cute. The possibilities are endless.
Keep It Fresh
Your cake will stay perfect at room temperature for three days. Pop it in the fridge if you need it to last longer. I often make the cake ahead and freeze it then decorate when needed. Just wrap it well and let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Time to Share
This cake always steals the show at holiday parties. Everyone loves having it with hot cocoa after dinner. Cut it into nice squares so everyone gets some of that pretty tree design. Its perfect for cookie swaps school parties or anytime you need to feed a crowd.
What You Need
Your biggest sheet pan gets the job done. An offset spatula makes frosting so much easier. Plastic bags work fine for piping if you dont have fancy tools. A ruler helps get that tree shape just right and scissors make quick work of that candy bow.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make this cake ahead of time?
- Yes, the unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once frosted, it keeps at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- → How do I ensure the tree is centered?
- Measure 2.5 inches up from bottom and in from sides for the base, and 2 inches from top for the tip. Use a ruler and offset spatula to trace before decorating.
- → Why use room temperature ingredients?
- Room temperature eggs and buttermilk blend better and create a more even cake texture. This ensures proper mixing and better results.
- → Can I use different decorations?
- Yes, you can substitute the candies with similar sized decorations. Just maintain the color scheme for the Christmas tree effect.
- → How do I get the tree branch effect?
- Pipe dots of green frosting and drag each downward with an offset spatula, overlapping rows to create a textured tree effect.