I love an easy recipe that really wows, and this Christmas wreath cake does just that! I baked up a simple moist vanilla cake and frosted it with delicious vanilla buttercream. With a bit of food coloring and a piping tip, I decorated this tasty cake with a gorgeous Christmas wreath. It was the perfect centerpiece to my holiday table!
Nothing says Christmas like this Christmas wreath cake. The cake is super simple to make with white cake mix, but it’s so moist and delicious thanks to my secret ingredient– sour cream! A quick and easy buttercream frosting takes the cake to the next level, and then I’ll teach you how to make a beautiful wreath to crown the whole thing!
What’s in This Christmas Wreath Cake Recipe?
- White Cake Mix: Makes this cake super easy to get started.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds moisture and richness to the cake and forms the creamy base of the frosting. You can use vegetable oil in place of the butter in the cake, but not in the frosting.
- Eggs: Help bind the cake to give it structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth of flavor to the cake and the frosting.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream is my secret ingredient for a super moist and tender cake. Greek yogurt also works well.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the cake. Feel free to use whatever kind of milk you have on hand, including dairy-free.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Food Coloring: Red and green food coloring help make the wreath pop!
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How to Store
Store leftover Christmas wreath cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
- Take care not to overmix the cake batter, as this will lead to a dense, dry cake.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting; otherwise, the frosting will melt off.
- If you don’t have a piping tip set, cut the corner off of a Ziplock bag and use that to pipe the icing.
- The type of food coloring used is important. For these bright colors, I used the brand Chefmaster Liqua-gel in the colors super red and leaf green.
Christmas Wreath Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix (1 box)
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (1⅛ sticks)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup full-fat sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup milk room temperature
For the Frosting
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ cups unsalted butter slightly melted (3 sticks)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring
- Red gel food coloring
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 2 8-inch Round Cake Pan
- Hand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set
Instructions
For the Cakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix the cake mix, butter, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk in a large bowl. Divide the cake batter evenly between both prepared cake pans. Try to get the same amount (about 397 grams) in each pan so that they bake at the same speed and bake up the same size (height).15.25 ounces white cake mix, 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup full-fat sour cream, ¼ cup milk
- Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing and placing on wire racks to finish cooling.
- Once the cakes have completely cooled to room temperature, use a large serrated knife to cut the dome tops off both cakes so they both have a flat top.
- Cover the cakes completely in food-safe plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. This step is important because you’ll want the cakes to be firm before frosting. If they are too soft when you start frosting, the cakes may crumble and break apart.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. The frosting should be firm enough to hold its shape while piping with an icing tip but soft enough that it can be frosted onto the cake smoothly.5 cups powdered sugar, 1½ cups unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For Assembly
- Place a thin layer of frosting (about 2 tablespoons) in the middle of a cake board or cake plate then place one cake (cut side facing up) on top of that frosting. This is meant to secure the cake to the cake board or cake plate.
- Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that first layer then place the second layer (bottom facing up) on top of the first layer. You’ll now have a two-layer cake.
- Frost a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake. This first thin layer of frosting (called a crumb coat) is meant to secure all the crumbs to the cake. It helps to prevent crumbs from getting into the final layer of the cake.
- Place the lightly frosted (crumb coated) cake in the freezer for 10 minutes so the crumb coat hardens up a bit before frosting the next layer.
- Remove the cake from the freezer and apply the second layer of white frosting. Spread this layer as smoothly as you can.
- Take about 1½-2 cups of white frosting in a separate bowl and color it green. Place it in an icing bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Frost round green “roses” around the top border of the cake.Green gel food coloring
- Take about ½ cup of white frosting in a separate bowl and color it red. Place it in an icing bag with a Wilton #12 tip. Place small round dots “berries” around your green wreath. Draw a red bow at the top of the wreath. Place small round dots of icing around the bottom outer edge of the cake.Red gel food coloring
Notes
How to Make a Christmas Wreath Cake Step-by-Step
Bake the Cakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and set aside. Mix 15.25 ounces (1 box) of white cake mix, 9 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup of full-fat sour cream, and ¼ cup of milk in a large bowl. Divide the cake batter evenly between both prepared cake pans (about 397 grams per pan). Bake for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pans to cool completely. Once cooled, use a large serrated knife to cut the dome tops off both cakes so they both have a flat top. Cover the cakes completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Whip the Frosting: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 5 cups of powdered sugar, 1½ cups of unsalted butter, and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Layer the Cakes: Place a thin layer of frosting (about 2 tablespoons) in the middle of a cake board or cake plate then place one cake (cut side facing up) on top of that frosting. Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that first layer then place the second layer (bottom facing up) on top of the first layer. You’ll now have a two-layer cake.
Crumb-Coat the Cake: Frost a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake. Place the crumb-coated cake in the freezer for 10 minutes so the crumb coat hardens up a bit before frosting the next layer.
Frost the Cake: Remove the cake from the freezer and apply the second layer of white frosting. Spread this layer as smoothly as you can. Take about 1½-2 cups of white frosting in a separate bowl and color it green. Place it in an icing bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Frost round green “roses” around the top border of the cake. Take about ½ cup of white frosting in a separate bowl and color it red. Place it in an icing bag with a Wilton #12 tip. Place small round dots “berries” around your green wreath. Draw a red bow at the top of the wreath. Place small round dots of icing around the bottom outer edge of the cake.
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