Scrumptious Christmas Cake Recipe

Prepare for the vacations with a layered Christmas cake good for the season.

A Christmas cake that doubles as a vacation centerpiece?! Why not! Should you’re pondering forward to the vacations, and all of the baking that’s about to occur, this cute little cake is likely to be the one so as to add to your seasonal repertoire. Gentle, buttery layers, stacked with tangy cream cheese frosting and cranberry jam for that good mixture of candy and tart. Every little thing you need in a vacation dessert. 

Christmas Cake Elements

The key is within the combine: actual butter (softened to only the proper temperature), bitter cream for richness, and a splash of vanilla that brings every little thing collectively. This recipe makes 12–14 slices of cake.

Cake Elements (3 layers)

• 213 g (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour 
• 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar 
• 1 g (¼ tsp) baking soda + 3 g (1 tsp) baking powder 
• 176 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature (it needs to be very mushy)  
• 3 giant eggs, room temperature 
• 115 g (½ cup) bitter cream 
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) vanilla extract 
• 125 mL (½ cup) entire milk 

Cream Cheese Frosting (filling & crumb coat)

• 300 g unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 300 g powdered sugar, sifted 
• 600 g cream cheese, softened 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Tree Buttercream (adorning the cones)

• 150 g unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 200 g powdered sugar, sifted 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Inexperienced gel meals coloring

Meeting & Ornament

• About 1 cup cranberry jam (store-bought or selfmade) 
• 6–8 sugar cones 
• Pomegranate seeds 
• Contemporary rosemary sprigs 
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Tips on how to Make a Christmas Cake

1. Bake the Christmas Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch spherical cake pans. 

In a big bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and bitter cream till totally integrated.  Then, in the identical bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder and incorporate with a spatula. 

Subsequent, divide the batter evenly amongst pans and clean tops. Bake for 14 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clear. 

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then take away and let cool fully on wire racks. 

2. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

First, beat the butter till creamy. Then, add the powdered sugar steadily and beat till fluffy. 

Subsequent you’re going to combine within the cream cheese and vanilla. Beat till clean and thick.

Tip: Chill the frosting 20–half-hour if it feels too mushy for layering.

3. Make the Inexperienced Buttercream for Timber

Beat butter till pale and fluffy. Then, add the powdered sugar (steadily). Mixing till clean.

Subsequent, combine in inexperienced meals coloring till you attain your required tree shade.

Lastly, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (like Wilton 1M or 2D). I like this set that comes with a number of ideas and the piping baggage.

4. Assemble the Cake

Place one cake layer onto a serving plate. Then, unfold a layer of cream cheese frosting on prime. Subsequent comes a skinny layer of cranberry jam. 

Repeat with the second cake layer, frosting, and jam. After which top with the ultimate cake layer. 

Apply a skinny crumb coat of cream cheese frosting everywhere in the cake. Chill for 20 minutes.  Then frost the cake easily with the remaining cream cheese frosting. 

5. Enhance with Christmas Timber

Place sugar cones the wrong way up on parchment paper. Then, pipe inexperienced buttercream in small star-like motions to cowl every cone, making a tree impact. 

Subsequent, switch the timber to the cake, arranging them on prime and across the sides. Then, decorate the finished timber with pomegranate seeds as ornaments. Add rosemary sprigs round or on prime of the cake 

Lastly, frivolously mud powdered sugar over the entire cake for a snowy look and it’s able to serve.

Notes about making this Christmas Cake

Make-ahead possibility

Bake cake layers the day earlier than, wrap effectively, and retailer at room temperature. You may as well freeze them for longer storage. 

Stability tip

Chill the cream cheese frosting for 20–half-hour if it feels too mushy. Then, it’ll unfold extra simply. 

Ornament shortcut

Should you’re quick on time, beautify solely 3–4 sugar cone timber and cluster them on prime of the cake for a easy forest impact. 

Stability of flavors

The tart cranberry jam cuts via the richness of the cream cheese frosting, so don’t skip it. 

Transporting the Cake

If you must transfer the cake, beautify the timber individually and place them on the cake on the closing vacation spot to keep away from shifting.

FAQ

Can I exploit store-bought cranberry jam?

Sure, however you probably have time, selfmade cranberry jam will give the cake a more energizing, extra festive taste.

How lengthy does the cake final?

Hold refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Carry to room temperature earlier than serving.

Can I freeze the cake layers?

Sure. Wrap cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than assembling.

Can I exploit a distinct frosting as an alternative of cream cheese?

Sure! A traditional American buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream works effectively should you want a sweeter or extra secure possibility.

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

Sure. Change the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. The feel can be barely completely different however nonetheless scrumptious.

What measurement pans can I exploit as an alternative of 8-inch?

You should use two 9-inch pans as an alternative of three 8-inch pans. Regulate baking time by including 3–5 minutes

How do I get vibrant inexperienced buttercream?

Use gel meals coloring as an alternative of liquid—it provides a richer coloration with out thinning the buttercream.

Can I freeze the embellished cake?

It’s not advisable as a result of the buttercream timber and decorations could lose their form. As an alternative, freeze solely the cake layers forward of time.

Christmas Cake

Brittni

A Christmas cake that doubles as a vacation centerpiece? Why not?! Should you’re pondering forward to the vacations, and all of the baking that’s about to occur, this cute little cake is likely to be the one so as to add to your seasonal repertoire. Gentle, buttery layers, stacked with tangy cream cheese frosting and cranberry jam for that good mixture of candy and tart. Every little thing you need in a vacation dessert. 

Cake Elements (3 layers)

• 213 g 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 150 g ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 g ¼ tsp baking soda + 3 g (1 tsp) baking powder
• 176 g ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (it needs to be very mushy)
• 3 giant eggs room temperature
• 115 g ½ cup bitter cream
• 15 mL 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 125 mL ½ cup entire milk

Cream Cheese Frosting (filling & crumb coat)

• 300 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 300 g powdered sugar sifted
• 600 g cream cheese softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Tree Buttercream (adorning the cones)

• 150 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 200 g powdered sugar sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Inexperienced gel meals coloring

Meeting & Ornament

• About 1 cup cranberry jam store-bought or selfmade
• 6 –8 sugar cones
• Pomegranate seeds
• Contemporary rosemary sprigs
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Bake the Christmas Cake Layers

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch spherical cake pans.

• In a big bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and bitter cream till totally integrated.  Then, in the identical bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder and incorporate with a spatula.

• Subsequent, divide the batter evenly amongst pans and clean tops. Bake for 14 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clear.

• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then take away and let cool fully on wire racks.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

• First, beat the butter till creamy. Then, add the powdered sugar steadily and beat till fluffy.

• Subsequent you are going to combine within the cream cheese and vanilla. Beat till clean and thick.

• Tip: Chill the frosting 20–half-hour if it feels too mushy for layering.

Make the Inexperienced Buttercream for Timber

• Beat butter till pale and fluffy. Then, add the powdered sugar (steadily). Mixing till clean.

• Subsequent, combine in inexperienced meals coloring till you attain your required tree shade.

• Lastly, switch to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (like Wilton 1M or 2D). I like this set that comes with a number of ideas and the piping baggage.

Enhance with Christmas Timber

Make-ahead possibility

Bake cake layers the day earlier than, wrap effectively, and retailer at room temperature. You may as well freeze them for longer storage. 

Stability tip

Chill the cream cheese frosting for 20–half-hour if it feels too mushy. Then, it’ll unfold extra simply. 

Ornament shortcut

Should you’re quick on time, beautify solely 3–4 sugar cone timber and cluster them on prime of the cake for a easy forest impact. 

Stability of flavors

The tart cranberry jam cuts via the richness of the cream cheese frosting, so don’t skip it. 

Transporting the Cake

If you must transfer the cake, beautify the timber individually and place them on the cake on the closing vacation spot to keep away from shifting.