This beautiful Christmas Cake recipe has red, white, and green cake layers topped with fluffy vanilla frosting and cake crumb sprinkles!
With so many Christmas dessert recipes for cookies and candy, it’s fun to switch things up with an easy to make Christmas Cake! This recipe uses boxed cake mixes to help save time during this busy season.
How To Make A Christmas Cake
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the white cake mixes, vanilla yogurt, water, egg whites, and vegetable oil for about 30 seconds, until moistened.
Then, turn the mixer to a medium speed and beat for two minutes. The batter will be thick.
Divide the batter between three bowls, about three cups of batter per bowl. Then, tint one bowl of cake batter green, another bowl red and leave the third bowl white.
Prepare three 9-inch cake pans. Spray the pans with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper circles, spray with cooking spray again, and then coat with flour. Spread the cake batter in the prepared pans.
Could this cake be made into cupcakes instead?
Yes, you can use this Christmas cake recipe to make Christmas cupcakes. Fill lined cupcake tins 1/2 full with batter. Bake the cupcakes at 350˚F for 19-22 minutes.
Bake the cakes at 325˚F for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Then, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment circles, and cool completely on wire racks.
How To Make Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
In a large bowl, beat an eight ounce block of softened cream cheese until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and stir until combined.
Beat in the marshmallow cream and vanilla until smooth.
Then, fold in the whipped topping (aka cool whip) by hand until combined.
How To Frost The Christmas Cake
Once the cake layers are cool use a long, serrated knife or a cake leveler (this is the one I use) to cut off the rounded tops. Save the cake tops and set them aside for later.
Place the red cake layer on a cardboard cake round or directly on a cake stand. Then place it on top of a cake decorating turntable (this is the one I use).
Add about one cup of the frosting to the red cake layer and spread it out in an even layer.
Repeat the process with the white cake layer.
Finally, add the green cake layer. Frost the top and the sides of the cake.
Use the tip of an icing spatula to give the frosting a ruffled look. Hold the tip of the frosting on the top of the icing and turn the cake slowly to make the ruffles.
Gently scrape a serrated knife over the saved red and green cake tops to make crumbs.
Sprinkle the red and green cake crumbs on top of the cake for sprinkles. I didn’t include the white cake crumbs since the frosting is white.
How else can I decorate the cake?
We chose to use cake crumbs as sprinkles because they are convenient, look pretty, and give a clue as to what the side of the cake looks like. You could skip adding decorations and the top of the cake will be a beautiful frosting swirl. Otherwise, try using Christmas sprinkles.
When you cut into the Christmas cake, you can see all of the pretty layers! The light, airy frosting, and the moist cake layers are fantastic.
Want more festive Christmas recipes? Try these next:
Cheerful Snowman Meringue Cookies are crunchy, airy, melt in your mouth treats. Place in a mug of hot chocolate to make a melting snowman!
Homemade Peppermint Patty Bars are cool and minty, smooth and creamy. They're BETTER than store-bought peppermint patties and EASIER to make!
A classic Sugar Cookie Recipe that's perfect for baking cutout cookies with your family and friends. Make it a holiday tradition!
Christmas Ooey Gooey Bars are the best holiday version of Rice Krispies Treats. This recipe has three delicious layers and is perfect for parties!
Christmas Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 15.25 oz white cake mixes
- 1 ½ cups vanilla yogurt I used Light and Fit Greek Vanilla Yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 8 egg whites
- ½ cup oil
Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
- 8 oz package cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup marshmallow cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 16 oz cool whip thawed (about 6 1/2 cups) or use whipped cream
Instructions
Cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325˚F degrees.
- Spray three 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line them with parchment paper circles. Spray them again and lightly coat them with flour.
- Mix together cake mixes, vanilla yogurt, water, egg whites, and oil for about 30 seconds on low until moistened. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes. The batter will be thick.
- Put three cups of batter in three separate bowls (3 cups of batter in each bowl). Tint the batter the colors you want.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pans and firmly tap the pans on the counter a couple of times.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes on a wire rack.
- Carefully remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment circles, and cool completely on wire racks.
Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- Use a mixer to beat a package of softened cream cheese.
- Mix in the powdered sugar.
- Beat in the marshmallow cream and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- Gently stir in the thawed whipped topping by hand.
Assembly:
- Once the cakes the cooled, level the cakes by using a serrated knife to cut off the rounded tops. Set the cake tops aside for later.
- Place the first cake layer on a cardboard cake round on a rotating cake stand or place it directly on your cake platter. Spread one cup of the frosting on the first layer and repeat with the two remaining layers.
- Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Then, use an offset spatula to make rustic ruffles around the sides and the top.
- Sprinkle top of the cake with cake crumbs from the leftover cake tops.
- Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Rita says
Very nice