Homemade Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes

Homemade Christmas Tree Cakes

These individual Christmas Tree Cakes have two thin chocolate cake layers, a chocolate filling, and a smooth chocolate coating. White wavy drizzle and green and red-orange sprinkles make the stepped tree shapes stand out.

The cake sheets bake quickly, but they must cool completely before cutting. Once filled, chill the trees until firm so their points and branch edges hold together during dipping.

Ingredients for Homemade Christmas Tree Cakes

Chocolate cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour (190g)
• 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk (240g)
• ½ cup neutral vegetable oil (110g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup hot coffee or hot water (180g)

Chocolate filling

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115g)
• 1½ cups powdered sugar (180g)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (10g)
• ½ cup marshmallow fluff (65g)

Coating and decorations

• 24 ounces chocolate candy melts or chocolate melting wafers (680g)
• 4 ounces white candy melts (115g)
• 2 tablespoons green and red-orange rod sprinkles (20g)

Only if needed: Have 1–2 teaspoons milk available to loosen a stiff filling, and 1–2 teaspoons coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil to thin a coating that is too thick for dipping.

How to Make Homemade Christmas Tree Cakes

1. Prepare the pans: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack near the center. Line two shallow rimmed sheet pans with parchment.
2. Mix the batter: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, then gradually whisk in the hot coffee or water. The batter will be thin.
3. Bake the cake sheets: Divide the batter evenly between the pans and spread it into thin layers of similar thickness. Bake for about 12–15 minutes per sheet, beginning to check at 12 minutes. The surface should look set, the center should spring back lightly, and a tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
4. Cool and cut: Let the cake sheets cool completely, about 30–45 minutes. Cut matching shapes from both sheets with a stepped tree-shaped cutter about 3–4 inches tall. Place cuts close together to limit scraps, and support the thin cutouts as you lift them.
5. Make the filling: Beat the butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa until smooth, then mix in the marshmallow fluff. If the filling is too stiff to spread, add milk a little at a time. It should be spreadable but thick enough to hold its shape.
6. Fill and chill: Spread a thin, even layer of filling on half the trees, leaving a narrow margin at the edges. Top with matching cutouts, aligning the points and branches without pressing out the filling. Chill or freeze for 30–45 minutes, until the sandwiches are firm enough to lift without bending.
7. Coat and sprinkle: Melt the chocolate candy coating gently in short microwave bursts or over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. If it is too thick to dip, stir in a little coconut or neutral oil at a time. Dip a few cold cakes at a time to coat them completely, let the excess drip off, and set them on parchment or a cooling rack. Add the sprinkles while the coating is wet. Return any softened cakes to the freezer before dipping them.
8. Drizzle: Once the chocolate coating is firm and no longer tacky, melt the white candy melts. Transfer to a piping bag or a small zip-top bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe loose wavy lines across the trees. Let the drizzle set before handling.

Why the Cake Sheets Bake Quickly

The 12–15-minute bake time applies to batter spread thinly in shallow sheet pans. Pan size and how evenly the batter is spread can change the timing, so begin checking at 12 minutes and rely on the set surface, light spring-back, and clean tester. A deeper cake needs a different baking schedule.

A 3–4-inch cutter should yield about 10–12 filled cakes, depending on its shape and how closely the cutouts fit. Cake scraps can be saved for crumbs or tasting.

How to Keep the Trees Intact

Cutting warm cake or dipping soft sandwiches can break the stepped edges. Let the sheets cool fully, keep the filling layer neat, and chill the assembled cakes until they feel firm when lifted. Work with only a few cakes at a time so the rest stay cold.

If the coating thickens as you dip, warm it gently and stir again before adding more oil. Sprinkles need wet chocolate to adhere; wait until that coating sets before adding the white drizzle so the lines remain distinct.

Storage and Freezing

Let the coating and drizzle set fully before stacking or wrapping the cakes. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve chilled or let them sit briefly at room temperature; they do not need reheating.

For longer storage, wrap the cakes individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator with the coating protected. For another chocolate holiday dessert, try these Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Topping.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per cake, based on 12 cakes: 755 calories, 7g protein, 38g fat, and 103g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 455 calories, 4g protein, 23g fat, and 62g carbohydrates. Values vary with cake size, coating brand, and how much coating adheres.