Description
This Red Velvet Tree Cake is a festive and visually stunning dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a moist and tender red velvet cake layered with rich and tangy cream cheese frosting, this cake is shaped like a Christmas tree to bring a joyful spirit to your dessert table. Easy to make and delicious, it combines classic flavors with a fun seasonal twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Decorations
- green food coloring
- festive sprinkles
- mini chocolate chips
- star-shaped candy toppers
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a tree-shaped cake pan or a standard 9×13-inch sheet pan if you plan to cut out tree shapes later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to combine evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which gives the cake a soft texture.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated to ensure even distribution in the batter.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, red food coloring, vanilla extract, and white vinegar to mix the wet flavor components.
- Mix Batter: Alternately add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter mixture in batches, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix everything just until combined to prevent overmixing and keep the cake tender.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before applying frosting to prevent melting.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until the frosting is fluffy.
- Decorate: If desired, tint a portion of the frosting green using green food coloring. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cake to create the festive tree shape. Add sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or star-shaped candy toppers for extra holiday charm.
Notes
- If you don’t have a tree-shaped pan, bake the cake in a 9×13-inch pan and use a cookie cutter or stencil to cut out tree shapes before decorating.
- For a 3D effect, bake multiple layers and stack them with frosting in between.
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to avoid the frosting melting or sliding off.
- The red food coloring provides the characteristic red velvet color; adjust the amount to achieve your preferred shade.
