Christmas Tree Cookie Cake Recipes

CHRISTMAS TREE SURPRISE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• You have to bake 3 cakes, but bake them one at a time, mixing up the batter only when you're ready to bake. For 2 of the cakes, tint the batter green. For the third cake, tint the batter red. Bake each cake until the center springs back when lightly touched, about 45 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so the cake becomes firm.
• Carve and level the cakes: Using plates, bowls, glasses or round cookie cutters to trace around, cut the following: From the two green cakes, cut out 4 rounds: 8 inch, 6 inch, 4 inch, and 2 inch. Then from the red cake, cut out 4 rounds: 7 inch, 5 inch, 3 inch, and 1 inch. Take the round cookie cutter and cut a hole through the centers of the 4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch, and 7 inch layers. (Save all the scraps for making Christmas-colored cake pop dough!)
• Make the buttercream frosting. Measure out 1 cup and tint it red. Tint the rest dark green.
• Spread a little green frosting on the cake board, lay down the 8 inch green cake layer, and spread a layer of frosting on top. Add the 7 inch red layer and repeat, taking care not to frost the inside edges of the center hole. Continue stacking and frosting gradually smaller cake layers until you reach the 4 inch layer.
• Take the 3 cups of candy and fill the center core of the tree, pressing down a little to compact the candy. Frost the top of the 4 inch layer and continue stacking and frosting until all the layers are stacked.
• Once stacked, take a serrated knife and gently carve away the sharp edges of the layers to form a tall cone shape. Apply a very thin "crumb coat" of frosting all over the outside of the cake. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the Christmas lights. Melt the Candy Melts. Cut the colored Tic Tac candies in half crosswise. Use a toothpick dipped in the melted candy to attach a Tic Tac to the end of a peanut M and M of the same color (the M and M is the bulb and the Tic Tac is the base). You will need about 40 of these.
• To make the star for the top of the tree, trace around a star cookie cutter onto parchment. Pipe an outline of white melted candy, then fill in the shape. Place a lollipop stick in the center and cover with more melted candy. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and let set at room temperature.
• Place the green frosting into a piping bag fitted with a number 21 open star tip. Starting at the top of the cake, pipe 3/4 inch long strands of frosting in neat rows around the entire cake, like layers of pine branches on a Christmas tree.
• Once the cake is covered, place the red frosting into a piping bag fitted with a number 21 piping tip and pipe draping lines of "tinsel" around the cake. Attach the colored M and M lights directly to the red frosting. Work quickly here, as the frosting will start to form a crust, which can make attaching the decorations difficult.
• Take the star and flip it over. Coat the back with white melted candy and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Allow to set. Insert the lollipop stick into the center of the top of the tree.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 x 3 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer, with the whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixer bowl. Add the oil to the creamed mixture and combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture and beat on high speed until the flour is completely mixed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape the batter into the pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
• Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Check after 45 minutes, and if the top is browning too much, tent with foil. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a metal spatula around the edge of the cake and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed for at least 5 minutes, until the butter has lightened in color and is thoroughly whipped. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the vanilla seeds into the butter and beat to incorporate.
• Add 1 cup of the sugar and begin mixing on low speed to combine, then beat on high speed for about 2 minutes. Repeat this process 1 cup at a time until all the sugar has been added. Add milk a dash at a time if the mixture becomes too thick or dry. Scrape down the sides as needed and make sure no sugar is visible.
• The frosting will last for 1 month in the freezer, 2 weeks in the fridge, and 3 days at room temperature.

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix confectioners' sugar, butter or margarine, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide dough into halves. On lightly floured cloth-covered board, roll each half out to 3/16 inch thick. on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into Christmas shapes.
• Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool on wire racks and decorate as desired.

CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Cream butter (3tbsp) with powdered sugar (1/2cup). Beat until creamy. Gradually beat in egg whites (3 egg whites). Mix until well blended together. Then add vanilla extract (1/4tsp) and on low speed add flour (2/3cup). If batter appears too stiff beat in 1 tbsp of water.
• Color batter with leaf green food coloring. I used Americolor brand. Place tree pattern onot a flat surface. Layer a piece of parchment over it. With green pattern batter pipe trees onto the parchment paper. Freeze for 20-30 minutes.
• In a clean bowl beat egg whites (6 egg whites) with a pinch of salt until soft peaks are formed. Then gradually beat in about 1/2 of the granulated sugar (1/2 cup). Beat until stiff and glossy peaks are formed.
• In a bowl beat egg yolks (6 egg yolks) with remaining sugar (1/2cup) until pale in color and doubled in volume(ribbon stage). Gradually add melted and cooled butter (5tbsp). Beat well. Lastly beat in Vanilla extract (2tsp).
• Sift flour (1 cup) and salt (pinch) into a bowl.Into the egg yolk mixture gradually and alternating fold in sifted flour and meringue.
• Spray the jelly roll pan with non stick spray, lay the piped frozen tree pattern into a bakign sheet (half sheet) and spread the cake batter over the tree pattern layer.
• Bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes.
• Dust the wax paper sheet with powdered sugar, invert baked and still hot cake onto the wax paper. Peel of the top layer of parchment paper. Now it's time to flip the cake so the tree pattern is facing the surface. Place another layer of wax paper on the top of the tree pattern. Put a cutting board or another baking sheet on the top and flip the cake, peel the wax paper. Starting at the side with no tree pattern, roll the cake. Wrap into a kitchen towel, let cool completely before filling, about 3 hours.
• Beat cream cheese ( 1 and 1/2 block of cream cheese) and butter (1/4 cup) until smooth and creamy. Then gradually add powdered sugar (1 cup and 1/4 cup) alternating with cream (2 -3 tbsp), beat well. Then mix in Vanilla extract (2 tsp). Reserve about 2/3 cup of cream cheese frosting.Place into a small dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.Into the remaining frosting stir in crushed candy candies (1/ 2cup) and few drops of peppermint flavoring. Don't add too much as flavor will be overpowering.
• Carefully unroll cake roll and spread candy cane cream cheese onto the cake. Ten roll it up again. Cover with food wrap and refrigerate for couple of hours, until it firms up a little.
• Divided reserved filling and color one portion with green and one with yellow food coloring. Spoon green frosting into the piping bag fitted with a round piping tip #3 or #4. And yellow frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small open star tip.
• Unwrap cake roll from a food wrap. Pipe yellow starts on the top of the trees. And green garland across. Decorate garland with Christmas lights. Use sprinkles or small candies, such as mini M&M candies.
• Cake roll should be stored loosely but well covered in the fridge. Prepare it up to 3 days ahead.

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE STACK

Steps:

• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Cream using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the butter mixture and mix to combine. Shape dough into a ball, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out different-sized stars with cookie cutters; the height of the Christmas tree will depend on the number of cookies you stack, but you need at least 7 or 8 stars. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer cookies carefully onto wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Combine confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, and water in a bowl and beat at low speed using an electric blender until peaks form, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour icing into a piping bag with a star-shaped tip.
• Place the largest star onto a plate and pipe a little bit of royal icing into the middle. Add the second-largest star on top, turning the star slightly so the points are offset from the previous star cookie. Repeat adding smaller-sized star cookies and attaching them with royal icing. Decorate the cookie Christmas tree with royal icing, silver balls, and other holiday decor. Roll out yellow fondant and cut out a small star to place on top of the cookie tree and secure with royal icing. Decorate remaining cookies to your liking.
• Dust the finished tree with confectioners' sugar.

CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the cookie dough and all-purpose flour using a stand mixer.
• Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment until it is about 1/4-inch thick.
• Cut the shape of a Christmas tree and transfer the tree to a baking sheet. Combine the remaining scraps of dough and roll out to the same thickness as before. Cut the rolled scraps with assorted cookie cutters, these will be used as ornaments to decorate your tree. Place on a separate baking sheet. Bake the tree for 16 to 18 minutes and the smaller decorations for 12 minutes. Let cool completely and decorate as you wish.