How to Make a Christmas Tree Cake Recipe

My food writer Kari baked up this new Christmas Tree Cake Recipe, which is so fun to make and easy with the help of a boxed cake mix!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…with lots and lots of Christmas sweets and treats! Heck, even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, it is the season to stuff your face with party food and sweets, right?

I love baking Christmas cookies and thought I’d try to come up with something different this year, so we went with a Box Mix Holiday Cake Recipe because using box mixes saves so much time in the kitchen!

This Box Mix Holiday Cake post may contain affiliate links which means we receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Christmas Tree Cake Recipe

I love that this Christmas Tree Cake LOOKS very elaborate and hard to make - but it really isn't at all! It just takes a little time to add all of the decorations. 

Where Can I Find the Recipe Card for this Easy Christmas Tree Cake Recipe?

If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important information for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the Box Mix Holiday Cake Recipe, just scroll right on down to the bottom, where I have a printable recipe card just for you!

I know that a lot of people are old fashioned - like me! - and like to have a printed out recipe card.

Are recipe books still a thing in your household? Check out these cool recipe books (blank so that you can fill them up with your own recipes!) on Amazon!

How Does Your Family Celebrate the Holiday Season?

Everyone knows how much I love the Christmas holiday, but well, let’s just say that things haven’t been quite the same in recent years. After my divorce and Angeline growing up and moving out, Christmas is a bit lack luster in my home…

Last year, I didn’t even put up Christmas lights on the house or pull out my two huge storage bins full of Christmas decorations!

I did put up the tree and Angeline came home to help me decorate it, so that was wonderful!

I decided to really change focus this year and concentrate on my nieces and nephews – and of course, my three sisters and brothers in law – so that I can still get that fun Christmas spirit going now that Angeline isn’t at home anymore.

Are You Looking for Christmas Dessert Recipes like this Christmas Tree Cake Recipe?

Check out some of my super fun and delicious Christmas Dessert Recipes! 

My top Christmas cookie recipe is actually this Christmas Cookie Bars Recipe and it gets so many views every holiday season! I’ve been making it for years and it’s actually my second favorite! My other favorite is this M&Ms Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe!

But believe me, all of these other recipes are equally delicious. I just love Christmas cookies, so I am always trying to share new and easy recipes for you guys to all try each year. This is why we alternate between easy homemade fixes for Christmas treats like this, and then right-from-scratch stuff as well!

• Easy Homemade Christmas Snowball Cookies Recipe
• Hot Cocoa Cookies Recipe for Santa Claus
• Mocha Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
• Oatmeal Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

How to Make This Christmas Tree Cake Recipe

Christmas Tree Cake Recipe Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix and ingredients to make cake
• 1 tub, 16 oz, white frosting
• ½ cup chocolate frosting
• Wilton Color Gels in Kelly Green
• Various Sprinkles and Decorating Items -white pearls, gold stars, red hot candies, silver dragees
• Wilton Black Color Gels
• Candy Coated Sunflower Seeds

Wondering where to get the ingredients for this Box Mix Holiday Cake Recipe?

You can find everything that you need to make this fun Christmas cookie recipe right on Amazon! What more could you ask for? Just place your order and have some fun once it arrives! Scroll down to the recipe for a list of what to buy!

I've linked it all easily for you so that you do take advantage on one-stop shopping! If you are an Amazon Prime member, you get FREE shipping on Prime-eligible purchases. You really can't beat that, can you?

Again, you can find these items on Amazon.com, or your local grocery store and maybe a Joann's Fabric or Michaels?

I know that my local grocery stores don't really carry Wilton products, but you can certainly find nonapreils and red hots anywhere baked goods are sold. 

Christmas Tree Cake Recipe Directions

Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 cake. Let cake cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut a tree shape out of the cake.

Remove the sections that you aren't using and set aside.

Remove the tree by cutting into 3 large sections and use a spatula to move onto a large board or serving plate. Use the scrap pieces of cake to create a trunk and place at the bottom of the tree.

Frost the trunk with chocolate frosting.

Add green color gels to the white frosting and mix well.

Spread onto the cake.

Use the knife to create bough like shapes onto the frosting.

Decorate the cake with white pearl candies to create garland.

Use black color gels and candy coated sunflower seeds to create a string of lights.

Add additional candies to create ornaments.

Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature.

Share this Christmas Tree Cake Recipe with your friends and family on social media!

If you love this Box Mix Holiday Cake Recipe as much as we do, please leave me a 5-star review below and help me share this recipe on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

If you do make the recipe, I hope you’ll share that you tried it on Pinterest! I love it SO MUCH when readers share their feedback!

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To print this Box Mix Holiday Cake Recipe, simply click the recipe card below!

I know that sometimes it is easier to go off a recipe when it is printed right in front of you.

Who wants to swipe their screen on their phone or tablet when their hands are greasy? So I love offering this option as well! 

Print

Christmas Tree Cake Recipe

Author Jennifer

Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix and ingredients to make cake
• 1 tub 16 oz, white frosting
• ½ cup chocolate frosting
• Wilton Color Gels in Kelly Green
• Various Sprinkles and Decorating Items
• -white pearls gold stars, red hot candies, silver dragees
• Wilton Black Color Gels
• Candy Coated Sunflower Seeds

Instructions

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 cake. Let cake cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut a tree shape out of the cake. Remove the sections that you aren't using and set aside.
2. Remove the tree by cutting into 3 large sections and use a spatula to move onto a large board or serving plate. Use the scrap pieces of cake to create a trunk and place at the bottom of the tree.
3. Frost the trunk with chocolate frosting.
4. Add green color gels to the white frosting and mix well. Spread onto the cake. Use the knife to create bough like shapes onto the frosting.
5. Decorate the cake with white pearl candies to create garland. Use black color gels and candy coated sunflower seeds to create a string of lights. Add additional candies to create ornaments.
6. Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature.