Name: Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe
Prep time: PT-490097H29M
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: PT-490097H29M
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Nonstick baking spray with flour, for the pan; 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1/4 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 2 cups granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature; 1/2 cup red, green, and white holiday sprinkles; 1 1/2 cups salted butter (3 sticks), at room temperature; 1 1/2 lb. powdered sugar (6 cups); 1/4 cup milk; 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract; Forest green gel food coloring, for the frosting; Blue gel food coloring, for the frosting (optional); 5 brown mini candy-coated chocolates (about 1/2 tsp.), such as mini M&M’s; 2 Tbsp. red, green, and white holiday sprinkles; 30 yellow mini candy-coated chocolates (about 2 tsp.), such as mini M&M’s; 40 red mini candy-coated chocolates (about 2 1/2 tsp.), such as mini M&M’s; 1 (6-in.) piece red sour candy belt

If you’re looking to dazzle family and friends this holiday season, I have just the thing for you: my Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe. It’s not just any cake—it’s a showstopper with its moist texture, holiday sprinkles folded right in, and the gorgeous green frosting decorated like a Christmas tree. When I first made this, it became the centerpiece of our Christmas dessert table, and honestly, everyone was asking for seconds. Stick with me, and I’ll walk you through every step to make this festive treat come to life in your kitchen.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Festive and Fun to Decorate: The green frosting shaped like a Christmas tree makes this cake a visual delight and a holiday conversation starter.
Moist and Tender Texture: Thanks to the buttermilk and oil, this sheet cake stays moist and soft, perfect for slicing into generous pieces.
Easy to Make for a Crowd: Baked in a standard half-sheet pan, it’s ideal for festive gatherings with plenty of servings.
Flexible and Customizable: You can tweak decorations and even flavors to fit your holiday vibe or dietary needs.

A single square piece of festive cake sits on a clear glass plate with a decorative edge, placed on a white marbled surface. The cake has two main layers; the bottom layer is a light, fluffy vanilla cake mixed with red and green sprinkles, creating a colorful speckled texture inside the cake. The top layer is a thick, smooth white frosting spread evenly, decorated with a large green holly leaf made of frosting with small red and yellow candy berries on it. Around the edges of the frosting top are red and green sprinkles mixed with tiny white frosting dots. In the background, a white baking pan holds the rest of the cake with a similar festive appearance. A gold fork lies next to the plate on the white marble surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting, Christmas holiday cake, Christmas dessert recipe, holiday sheet cake, green frosting Christmas cake

Ingredients You’ll Need

I love that the ingredients for this Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe are mostly pantry staples with a few holiday touches. Using buttermilk and oil keeps the cake buttery soft, and those sprinkles folded into the batter? Pure magic.

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small pile of granulated sugar, three large uncracked brown eggs, a small white bowl of vegetable oil, a small white bowl of buttermilk, a small white bowl with red, green, and white holiday sprinkles, a stick of salted butter, a small white bowl of powdered sugar, a small white bowl of milk, a small white bowl of vanilla extract, a few drops of green gel food coloring on a white ceramic plate, a few drops of blue gel food coloring on a white ceramic plate, five brown mini candy-coated chocolates, a small handful of yellow mini candy-coated chocolates, a small handful of red mini candy-coated chocolates, and a piece of red sour candy belt, all placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997 - Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting, Christmas holiday cake, Christmas dessert recipe, holiday sheet cake, green frosting Christmas cake

All-purpose flour: The backbone of the cake; make sure it’s fresh for the best rise and texture.
Baking powder and baking soda: These leavening agents help achieve a lovely, light crumb.
Kosher salt: Enhances the other flavors without overpowering them.
Granulated sugar: Sweetness and a tender crumb all in one.
Eggs: Use room temperature for a smoother batter and better rise.
Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender, unlike butter which can firm it up.
Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, classic flavor that balances the sweetness.
Buttermilk: Essential for that tender crumb and subtle tang; room temperature is best to avoid lumps.
Holiday sprinkles: The secret festive touch that creates joyful bursts of color throughout the cake.
Salted butter (for frosting): Adds richness and a slight savory note that balances the sugar in the frosting.
Powdered sugar: The foundation for creamy, smooth buttercream frosting.
Milk: Helps achieve the perfect frosting consistency.
Forest green gel food coloring: For that beautiful Christmas tree green; gel works best for vibrant color without thinning the frosting.
Blue gel food coloring (optional): To deepen the green color if you want a richer shade.
Mini candy-coated chocolates (brown, yellow, red): Use as decorations on the tree — they double as edible ornaments and lights.
Red sour candy belt: Creates a fun, edible bow that tops the tree. Adds a tangy contrast to the sweet cake and frosting.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

One of the things I love most about this Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe is how easy it is to personalize. Over the years, I’ve played with different colors and toppings to keep things fresh and fit any party theme.

Nut-Free Variation: I’ve made this recipe nut-free by keeping the sprinkles and candies simple — it’s just as festive without worrying about allergies.
Flavor Twist: Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin spice to the cake batter gives it a cozy holiday flavor that I adore.
Frosting Color: You can swap the green frosting for red or even a snowy white to match different themes — I’ve done a red velvet spin with the same decorating skills for variety.
Vegan Adaptation: I haven’t tried it myself yet, but substituting eggs with flax eggs and using vegan butter should work if you want to make a plant-based version!

How to Make Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe

Step 1: Prep Like a Pro

First things first, preheat your oven to 350˚F and generously spray your 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour. This extra flour step ensures the cake releases perfectly without sticking — I learned that the hard way after a couple of cracked cakes.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. This helps evenly distribute the leavening agents so your cake bakes up beautifully even.

Step 3: Whip Up the Batter

In a large bowl, combine your granulated sugar and eggs, whisking until the mixture looks foamy and lighter in color—this usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes and really helps with texture. Then whisk in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Next, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, mixing well after each addition.

Now, fold in those holiday sprinkles — this tiny burst of color inside the cake is pure holiday magic that never fails to get smiles around the table.

Step 4: Bake and Cool

Pour that batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be gentle when checking doneness; poking too soon or too often can deflate your batter.

Let it cool completely in the pan for at least an hour before moving on to frosting — trust me, frosting a warm cake is messy business! This patience pays off with a smooth, perfect finish.

Step 5: Make the Buttercream Frosting

Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the room temperature salted butter on medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes. This step is crucial; fluffy butter creates a smooth frosting base.

Place this green frosting into a piping bag fitted with a slightly larger tip to outline and fill your Christmas tree shape. Using a ruler and offset spatula, lightly trace a large triangle on the frosted cake for guidance. Below the triangle, arrange 3 rows of brown mini candy-coated chocolates to mimic a tree trunk.

Pipe rows of green dots within the triangle outline, then gently drag your spatula down and outward across each dot to create curved “branches.” Repeat this until the whole triangle is filled with elegant, layered branches.

Add a border of holiday sprinkles around the cake and pipe small white dots with the reserved frosting to resemble snowflakes. For the garland, pipe white swooping lines across the tree and press in yellow mini candies as lights and red ones as ornaments.

Finally, fold half of your sour candy belt into a festive bow and place it on top of the tree for a whimsical finishing touch.

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Pro Tips for Making Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe

Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs, buttermilk, and butter at room temp mix more evenly, avoiding lumps and ensuring a tender cake.
Don't Overmix the Batter: After adding flour, mix just until combined to keep the cake light and moist.
Trace Your Tree Outline Lightly: Using a ruler and offset spatula to mark your triangle guide keeps your tree perfectly centered every time.
Frost When Cake is Completely Cool: Warm cake melts frosting, making decorating frustrating; patience leads to prettier results.

How to Serve Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe

Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe - Serving

Garnishes

For garnish, I love the look and crunch of colorful mini candy-coated chocolates — they double as tree lights and ornaments. The sprinkles around the border add that extra festive sparkle, and of course, the red sour candy bow really pulls everything together, making it fun and edible at the same time.

Side Dishes

This cake pairs wonderfully with a warm cup of spiced eggnog or peppermint hot chocolate. If you’re having a larger holiday spread, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a fresh fruit salad balances the sweetness nicely.

Creative Ways to Present

For parties, I sometimes place this sheet cake on a rustic wooden board lined with holiday-themed parchment paper. Adding cinnamon sticks, pine sprigs, or small ornaments around the edges sets a festive mood. If you want to elevate it, add edible gold dust lightly brushed on the frosting for a sparkly winter effect.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Whenever I have leftovers, I cover the whole cake tightly with plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to keep it fresh. Stored at room temperature, it’s good for up to 3 days. If you live somewhere humid, I recommend refrigerating it, but bring it to room temp before serving to enjoy the cake’s full tenderness.

Freezing

One of the things I discovered is that the cake itself freezes beautifully before frosting. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and seal it in a freezer bag, and it keeps for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, thaw fully, then frost and decorate fresh. I wouldn't freeze the frosted cake since the decorations may not hold up well.

Reheating

If you happen to have slices leftover, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave brings back softness without melting the frosting too much. Just keep a close eye to avoid overheating, which can make the frosting oily and the cake dry.

FAQs

Can I make this Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can bake the cake up to 3 months ahead and freeze it unfrosted. Once thawed completely, frost and decorate it the day of your event for the freshest result. You can also frost it up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered at room temperature.
What’s the best way to get that deep green color in the frosting?

I recommend using gel food coloring because it’s concentrated and won’t thin your frosting. For a richer shade, start with forest green gel and add a few drops of blue gel as needed. Add coloring gradually to avoid ending up with an unexpected tint.
Can I use a different shape for the cake decoration?

Of course! While the Christmas tree shape is classic and festive, you can get creative with outlining stars, wreaths, or candy canes on the frosted cake using the green buttercream and candies. Use a ruler and spatula for precise shapes.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?

No worries! You can make a buttermilk substitute by mixing 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and it’s ready to use in the recipe.

Final Thoughts

This Festive Christmas Sheet Cake with Green Frosting Recipe has become such a special part of my holiday traditions, and I’m confident it’ll be one of yours too. It’s a perfect blend of taste and eye-catching design that brings people together around the table. Whether it’s your first time baking a sheet cake or just looking for a new holiday showstopper, this recipe will not disappoint. So grab your mixers and let’s make some festive magic!