Description
Celebrate the holiday season with this festive Christmas Sheet Cake featuring a moist, sprinkle-studded vanilla cake topped with creamy luscious buttercream. Decorated with vibrant green frosting shaped like a Christmas tree, colorful candy ornaments, and a sour candy bow, this delightful cake is perfect for spreading joy at any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 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
For the Frosting:
- 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
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Spray an 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan with nonstick baking spray that contains flour to ensure easy release.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. This helps to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until the mixture is foamy and lightened in color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then whisk in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine batter: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Whisk well after each addition to create a smooth batter. Gently fold in the red, green, and white holiday sprinkles to add festive color inside the cake.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour, before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the salted butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add half of the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the milk and vanilla extract, mixing to incorporate. Then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until fully blended. Increase speed to medium-high and continue beating until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable, about 3 minutes.
- Apply the base layer of frosting: Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to spread about 3 cups of the buttercream in a smooth, even layer over the cooled cake. This provides a uniform surface for decorating.
- Prepare piping bags with frosting colors: Transfer 1/4 cup of the remaining frosting into a piping bag with a small opening (about 1/8 inch) for detailed piping. Add forest green gel food coloring to the rest (about 1 3/4 cups) of the frosting until a deep green shade is achieved. For a darker green, add a few drops of blue gel coloring. Transfer this green frosting to a separate piping bag fitted with a slightly larger opening (about 1/4 inch).
- Outline the Christmas tree: Using a ruler and a small offset spatula, lightly trace a large triangle on the frosted cake to mark the Christmas tree’s body. Place 5 brown mini candy-coated chocolates per row in 3 rows centered directly below the triangle to create the tree trunk.
- Decorate the tree branches: Using the green buttercream, pipe a row of 3/4-inch dots across the bottom of the triangle just above the trunk. Gently drag each frosting dot downward and outward with a clean small offset spatula or butter knife to create curved branches. Pipe additional rows of dots above the first, overlapping each row by dragging the dots down similarly, continuing until the entire triangle is covered with green branches.
- Decorate the border and snow: Sprinkle the red, green, and white holiday sprinkles around the cake border. Use the white buttercream frosting to pipe small dots across the surrounding white icing to simulate snow.
- Add tree garland and ornaments: Pipe swooping lines of the white frosting across the tree to mimic garlands. Press the yellow mini candy-coated chocolates sideways onto the white lines, spaced about 1 inch apart, to resemble Christmas lights. Press the red mini candy-coated chocolates flat on the green branches to look like ornaments.
- Create and add the bow: Cut the 6-inch red sour candy belt lengthwise in half. Fold one strip into a bow shape and place it atop the tree as the festive topper. Reserve or enjoy the other strip separately.
Notes
- The unfrosted cake can be baked, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months, making it great for advance preparation.
- The cake can be frosted up to 3 days in advance and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- To perfectly center the tree decoration, position the pan with one short side facing you; mark the triangle base 2 ½ inches from both sides and 2 inches from the top for the tip.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
