Description
This Christmas Sheet Cake is a delightful vanilla sheet cake topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and festive holiday sprinkles. Cut into tree-shaped triangles and decorated with candy canes and peppermint candies, these cute treats are perfect for holiday parties and cookie platters.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream (a heaping half cup)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency & sweetness)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Decorations
- Mini candy canes (crook broken off, approximately 24 straight pieces)
- Round peppermint candies (approximately 24)
- Assorted holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a rimmed 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large pot, melt the 1 1/4 cups butter over medium heat. Add water and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and briskly stir in flour, sugar, and sour cream until combined. Let batter cool just enough so that when the eggs are added, they won’t scramble. Then stir in eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda (ensure no lumps), and salt until well blended.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, frost it evenly with the cream cheese frosting and smooth the surface. Immediately sprinkle holiday sprinkles over the frosting and lightly press them in if needed to help them stick.
- Cut and Decorate: Place the pan vertically on the counter. Cut three evenly spaced vertical lines to divide the cake into four rows. Then cut six Christmas tree-shaped triangles per row, for a total of 24 trees. Use a thin metal spatula to carefully lift each triangle from the pan onto a serving platter.
- Final Decorations: Insert a straight piece of mini candy cane into the base of each tree as the trunk. Press a round peppermint candy into the frosting at the top of each tree to resemble a star.
- Storage: Store the decorated trees refrigerated in a tightly covered container. These treats also freeze well without becoming hard.
Notes
- Christmas Sheet Cake offers a tender vanilla base with rich cream cheese frosting and festive decorations, ideal for holiday gatherings and cookie platters.
- Be sure to cool the batter slightly before adding eggs to avoid scrambling.
- Use a thin metal spatula for easy removal of cake triangles without breaking.
- Adjust powdered sugar in frosting for desired sweetness and thickness.
- These decorated cake trees can be refrigerated or frozen, making them perfect for make-ahead holiday treats.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Christmas Tree (approx.)
- Calories: 364 kcal
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 169 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
