SPEARMINT FOREST
Heat oven to 350°F. Coat insides of metal Christmas tree cookie cutters with nonstick cooking spray; place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange green mint candies (we used Starlight spearmints) inside cutters, breaking as necessary and leaving space in between. Bake until melted, 5 to 6 min. Let cool completely, then gently pop out trees.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1357656022/1731473220/articles/9rD72JR5Y1731579518650/5713744515.jpg]
Red Velvet Christmas Tree Cake
ACTIVE 4 HR. TOTAL 4 HR. PLUS CHILLING ✦ SERVES 4
For cakes
Nonstick cooking spray
2 13.25-oz boxes red velvet cake mix
6 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups buttermilk
For frosting and decorating
7 large egg whites
3 cups sugar
7 sticks (1/4 lbs) unsalted butter, at room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract Green gel food coloring
2 Tbsp small red sprinkles Small wafer snowflakes
1 sparkler candle Christmas Gnomes (recipe at womansday . com/christmasgnomes)
1 Make cakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-in. and two 8-in. round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Spray 1-cup ovensafe liquid measuring cup.
2 Prepare cake mixes per pkg. directions, substituting buttermilk for water.
3 Spoon 2/3 cup batter into prepared measuring cup. then 2 cups batter into each prepared 9-in. pan and 1/4 cups into each prepared 8-in. pan. Smooth tops. Bake, in batches if necessary, 18 to 20 min for all pans; 20 to 25 min for measuring cup. Transfer to wire racks and let cool 10 min. Invert and remove cakes; let cool completely.
4 Meanwhile, make frosting: In medium saucepan, bring 2 in. water to a simmer. In large, clean, and dry heatproof bowl of stand mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar, then place bowl over (but not in) simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved (165°F to 175°F). 6 to 7 min. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until glossy medium-soft peaks form, 12 to 15 min. Let cool at room temp until no longer warm to the touch, 20 min.
5 Switch to paddle attachment. On medium-low speed, gradually add butter in small pieces, beating to incorporate before adding more. Beat in vanilla.
6 Trim top of each cake to make level if necessary and set aside trimmed pieces.
7 Place one 9-in. cake on serving platter. Spread on some of frosting and top with second 9-in. cake. Spread on some frosting and top with 8-in. cake.
Spread additional frosting in center, covering space of about 6-in. diameter.
8 Working on cutting board, place 6-in. plate on top of remaining 8-in. cake, making sure it's flush to 1 side. Using plate as guide, trim cake, making sure to keep trimmed piece intact.
9 Place 6-in. cake on 6-in. round of frosting, then spread additional frosting in center, covering space of about 4-in. diameter.
10 Gently shape trimmed cake piece into 4-in. cake, using frosting as necessary to adhere. If needed, use trimmed piece of measuring cup cake and frosting to fill in center of cake. Spread 4-in. cake with a bit of frosting, then place measuring cup cake, trimmed side down, on top. Insert long skewer or wooden chopstick into center of cake to secure.
11 Using small serrated knife, trim cake at an angle into tree shape, reserving all trimmed pieces.
12 Transfer trimmed pieces to bowl and crumble into small pieces. Add 3 Tbsp frosting and mix to combine, adding more as necessary so crumb mixture holds its shape.
13 Shape crumb mixture into cone about 24 in at base and adhere to top of tree with additional frosting. Spread thin layer of frosting over entire cake; refrigerate 30 min.
14 Using food coloring tint remaining frosting green (you should have about 5 cups); spoon into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-in.-wide star tip until two-thirds full. Starting at base of cake, pipe single row of green spikes about 1 in. long. Repeat row, refilling bag as necessary, until cake is completely covered.
15 Scatter sprinkles and snowflakes over cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hr before serving. Top with sparkler candle and decorate with gnomes if desired.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1357656022/1731473220/articles/9rD72JR5Y1731579518650/9o6LbJR0p1731579620755.jpg]
Vintage Christmas Tree Cake
ACTIVE 40 MIN. TOTAL 2 HR. 30 MIN. SERVES 10 TO 12
For cake
Baking spray with flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk, at room temp
1 14- by 10-in. Christmas-tree-shaped cake pan (like Wilton Christmas Tree Pan, Amazon)
For frosting
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract Orange, red, green, blue, and yellow fondant Tree light-shaped silicone food mold
1 Make cake: Heat oven to 325°F. Coat Christmas tree-shaped cake pan with baking spray. In bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 min. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add f...
Heat oven to 350°F. Coat insides of metal Christmas tree cookie cutters with nonstick cooking spray; place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Arrange green mint candies (we used Starlight spearmints) inside cutters, breaking as necessary and leaving space in between. Bake until melted, 5 to 6 min. Let cool completely, then gently pop out trees.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1357656022/1731473220/articles/9rD72JR5Y1731579518650/5713744515.jpg]
Red Velvet Christmas Tree Cake
ACTIVE 4 HR. TOTAL 4 HR. PLUS CHILLING ✦ SERVES 4
For cakes
Nonstick cooking spray
2 13.25-oz boxes red velvet cake mix
6 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups buttermilk
For frosting and decorating
7 large egg whites
3 cups sugar
7 sticks (1/4 lbs) unsalted butter, at room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract Green gel food coloring
2 Tbsp small red sprinkles Small wafer snowflakes
1 sparkler candle Christmas Gnomes (recipe at womansday . com/christmasgnomes)
1 Make cakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-in. and two 8-in. round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Spray 1-cup ovensafe liquid measuring cup.
2 Prepare cake mixes per pkg. directions, substituting buttermilk for water.
3 Spoon 2/3 cup batter into prepared measuring cup. then 2 cups batter into each prepared 9-in. pan and 1/4 cups into each prepared 8-in. pan. Smooth tops. Bake, in batches if necessary, 18 to 20 min for all pans; 20 to 25 min for measuring cup. Transfer to wire racks and let cool 10 min. Invert and remove cakes; let cool completely.
4 Meanwhile, make frosting: In medium saucepan, bring 2 in. water to a simmer. In large, clean, and dry heatproof bowl of stand mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar, then place bowl over (but not in) simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved (165°F to 175°F). 6 to 7 min. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until glossy medium-soft peaks form, 12 to 15 min. Let cool at room temp until no longer warm to the touch, 20 min.
5 Switch to paddle attachment. On medium-low speed, gradually add butter in small pieces, beating to incorporate before adding more. Beat in vanilla.
6 Trim top of each cake to make level if necessary and set aside trimmed pieces.
7 Place one 9-in. cake on serving platter. Spread on some of frosting and top with second 9-in. cake. Spread on some frosting and top with 8-in. cake.
Spread additional frosting in center, covering space of about 6-in. diameter.
8 Working on cutting board, place 6-in. plate on top of remaining 8-in. cake, making sure it's flush to 1 side. Using plate as guide, trim cake, making sure to keep trimmed piece intact.
9 Place 6-in. cake on 6-in. round of frosting, then spread additional frosting in center, covering space of about 4-in. diameter.
10 Gently shape trimmed cake piece into 4-in. cake, using frosting as necessary to adhere. If needed, use trimmed piece of measuring cup cake and frosting to fill in center of cake. Spread 4-in. cake with a bit of frosting, then place measuring cup cake, trimmed side down, on top. Insert long skewer or wooden chopstick into center of cake to secure.
11 Using small serrated knife, trim cake at an angle into tree shape, reserving all trimmed pieces.
12 Transfer trimmed pieces to bowl and crumble into small pieces. Add 3 Tbsp frosting and mix to combine, adding more as necessary so crumb mixture holds its shape.
13 Shape crumb mixture into cone about 24 in at base and adhere to top of tree with additional frosting. Spread thin layer of frosting over entire cake; refrigerate 30 min.
14 Using food coloring tint remaining frosting green (you should have about 5 cups); spoon into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-in.-wide star tip until two-thirds full. Starting at base of cake, pipe single row of green spikes about 1 in. long. Repeat row, refilling bag as necessary, until cake is completely covered.
15 Scatter sprinkles and snowflakes over cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hr before serving. Top with sparkler candle and decorate with gnomes if desired.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1357656022/1731473220/articles/9rD72JR5Y1731579518650/9o6LbJR0p1731579620755.jpg]
Vintage Christmas Tree Cake
ACTIVE 40 MIN. TOTAL 2 HR. 30 MIN. SERVES 10 TO 12
For cake
Baking spray with flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk, at room temp
1 14- by 10-in. Christmas-tree-shaped cake pan (like Wilton Christmas Tree Pan, Amazon)
For frosting
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract Orange, red, green, blue, and yellow fondant Tree light-shaped silicone food mold
1 Make cake: Heat oven to 325°F. Coat Christmas tree-shaped cake pan with baking spray. In bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 min. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add f...
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Woman's Day (Digital) - 1 Issue, December 2024 - January 2025