Christmas Tree Cake Recipe

Prep 30 MIN
Total 4 HR 20 MIN
Servings 12

Turn an ordinary rectangular cake into a festive Christmas memory. You’ll find few cakes that are easier to decorate!

Ingredients 

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ cake mix (any flavor*)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Tray or piece of cardboard covered with foil
2 containers Betty Crocker™ Whipped fluffy white frosting
3 candy canes, broken to remove curved ends
Green colored sugar
Assorted small gumdrops, if desired

Steps

1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.

2 Using serrated knife, cut rounded top off cake to level surface; place cut side down. From the middle of one short side, make a diagonal cut to each corner on opposite side, making 3 triangular pieces. (See diagram below in Expert Tips.) Make tree shape by arranging 2 outer pieces with straight 13-inch sides together on foil-covered tray; frost top. Place remaining center piece on top.

3 Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate or freeze cake 30 to 60 minutes to set frosting. Frost entire cake with remaining frosting. Press candy cane pieces in end of tree to make trunk. Sprinkle with colored sugar to look like boughs. Arrange gumdrops on cake to look like lights or ornaments. Store loosely covered.

Expert Tips
*For all chocolate and devil's food cake mixes, use only 1 cup of the water.

Create an attractive display by covering a piece of sturdy cardboard with wrapping paper, then plastic food wrap. Stretch and secure with tape. Or cover cardboard with foil or cooking parchment paper.

Want a green Christmas tree? Tint frosting by stirring in a few drops of green food color before frosting the cake. Create “tinsel” by sprinkling frosting with gold edible glitter.

Walk the aisles of a cake decorating supply store to find fun “ornaments” for your cake!

Source: Betty Crocker