Sparkling Christmas Tree Cakes

Submitted by Vseward Chef-V

"These are so much fun to make at Christmas. Simple and very creative way to take 2 round cakes and cut them into eight wedges to resemble Christmas trees. Insert peppermint stick into bottom of each cake for the tree trunk."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 16 tree cakes
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) package yellow cake mix (2-layer size)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon green food coloring
• 1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping
• 16 peppermint stick candy (3-inch)
• 1⁄2 cup baker's angel flake coconut
• 2 baker's semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup planters dry roasted peanuts, chopped
• assorted christmas decorative candies
• colored crystal sugar

directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
2. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Tint batter green with food coloring. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
3. BAKE as directed on package. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
4. BEAT cream cheese and powdered sugar in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipped topping; stir until well blended. Spread evenly onto tops and sides of cakes.
5. CUT each cake into eight wedges to resemble Christmas trees. Insert peppermint stick into bottom of each cake for the tree trunk. Decorate trees with remaining ingredients. Store in refrigerator.

Reviews

[joanna_giselle]

I actually made this ages ago with the kids as a fun Christmas activity. I used a chocolate cake recipe as the base instead of a cake-mix (don't like them) and tinted the topping green instead. I then put individual cakes onto little plastic plates and a platter with different decorative sweets and a few coloured icing tubes in the middle of the table. I then called my kids over and my nephew and they had just the most wonderful time decorating their trees. You should have seen the level of concentration on their faces and the way they frowned while they tried to position the lollies perfectly on the cake. They were completely engrossed in the task and it was really lovely to share it with them. Their delight was complete when they got to eat their own trees at the end. Thank you for a wonderful idea Chef-V, it brought a lot of Christmas spirit into our home.