When I think about trees around Christmastime, this is what comes to mind (instead of a messy out-of-place forest dweller): The Best Tree Stump Cake dessert, with its irresistible chocolate buttercream frosting and the beauty of a true show stopper. It's perfect for Christmas, any holiday, or a woodland theme party.
Its unique design will make you want to grab a piece. Layers and layers of soft and moist vertical cake sponges hugged with super delicious and delicate chocolate buttercream frosting that looks just like festive tree bark. And that is just the beginning of delight for this outdoorsy-styled creation. It's incredibly rich and a sweet lover's dream come true.
It is not exactly a healthy one, but we can't really expect the cake to be healthy, can we? To reduce some of the dessert guilt, perhaps you may want to make it more for events where high levels of physical activity are involved. Such as a birthday party at the park with ball games and swimming to burn off some of its calories. And it will fit right into the environment, too. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
- Recipe Ingredients
- Tree Stump Cake Batter Ingredients
- Tree Stump Cake Frosting Ingredients
- How to Make Tree Stump Cake Batter
- Tree Stump Cake Baking Instructions
- Tree Stump Cake Frosting Instructions
- Assembling the Tree Stump Cake
- How to Decorate the Tree Strum Cake
- How to Heat a Knife for Perfectly Clean Slices
- More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe Card
- The Best Tree Stump Cake
- Comments
Recipe Ingredients
Tree Stump Cake Batter Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- Eggs (I used home-raised chicken eggs)
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
Tree Stump Cake Frosting Ingredients
- Chocolate ganache
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Sea salt
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa or cacao powder
- Powdered sugar
Supplies You'll Need to Make this Cake
- Parchment Paper
- Large 16x22 baking sheet
- Stand mixer
- Hand whisker
- Cake spatula
- Clear 2" wide Scotch tape
- Wilton 1M tip
- Piping bag (amazing investment!)
How to Make Tree Stump Cake Batter
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line a 16x22 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
Beat eggs and sugar on high for 5 minutes or until light, fluffy and pale yellow in color. Reduce the mixing speed to medium/low and add vanilla extract and buttermilk.
Mix for a minute for the ingredients to blend well. The batter will be a little thin and that's what you actually want.
Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and add the prepped dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt) into the egg mixture, ½ cup at a time.
Using a hand whisk, gently mix in the dry ingredients with each addition, trying not to deflate air pockets as much as possible.
Tree Stump Cake Baking Instructions
Transfer the batter to the earlier greased 16x22 inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Allow the cake sponge to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring it from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack.
Make another batch of this sheet cake sponge using the same ingredients for this cake.
Cool both sheet cake sponges completely before frosting.
Tree Stump Cake Frosting Instructions
While the cake sponges are cooling, make the frosting.
First, you will need to make the chocolate ganache (my favorite NO FAIL recipe) and cool it completely before proceeding with the rest of the frosting instructions.
Start by beating softened butter until creamy and smooth. Add softened cream cheese and beat again until both are well combined.
Then add cooled chocolate ganache and mix until well combined, for a minute or so. Scrape down the cream off the sides of the mixer bowl halfway through.
Mix in cocoa powder and then add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time. Once the powdered sugar is well blended in, increase the mixing speed to high and beat for a minute.
NOTE: This entire batch of frosting is for the inside of the cake only. You will need to make another batch of this frosting recipe to decorate the top and the sides of the cake later on after the cake sets for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Assembling the Tree Stump Cake
You should have your 2 sheets of 16x22 cake sponges cooled completely before frosting them.
Split each sheet cake sponge in half vertically to have four 7x20 (approximate) inch cake sponges (even though the photo below is showing just one sheet).
Using a half-cup ice cream scoop, add 4 scoops of frosting to each of the 4 strips of sponge cake.
Using a cake spatula spread out the frosting evenly over all 4 strips of cake sponges. (The image below shows only one sheet cake sponge, repeat the same frosting steps with the second sheet).
This is a tricky and very important step. Start rolling the first strip like you would roll a regular cake roll. Firmly roll the sponge while at the same time focusing on preventing the cake sponges from breaking. Add the next strip by lining up the short sides next to each other as soon as the previous one ends.
Use the parchment paper for stability to help hold the roll together during the rolling process so that it does not unroll. Use all 4 strips of sheet cake sponges as one continuous long roll. When rolling up the last strip leave the parchment paper on and wrap additional strips of parchment paper (the ones you baked the cakes on) around the entire perimeter to hold this cake in place.
Flip the cake log upright. You will need an assistant to hold both ends of the parchment paper snug around the cake, while you secure the parchment papers together by taping a long strip of 2" wide clear scotch tape over the parchment paper all the way around the cake.
If you have some frosting left (usually a cup or so), use it up by spreading it over the top of the cake. Then refrigerate the cake for 4 hours or overnight (my preference).
Make the Frosted Cranberries the night before to give them time to dry and be ready for decorating the cake the next day.
How to Decorate the Tree Strum Cake
The next day I start by making another batch of the frosting. Once the frosting is done, cut the clear tape and peel the parchment paper off the cake. The cake should be set, firm, and stable at this point. It is ready to be decorated.
Add about one and a half cups more of the frosting on top of the cake. Spread it out evenly. Then using a cake spatula, make the swirl design.
Then fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M attachment and fill with chocolate buttercream. First, pipe rose shape spread out randomly all around the cake. Then pipe vertical strips of cream in between the rose-shaped design starting from the base of the case to the top around the perimeter to represent the bark of the tree.
Decorate the cake with fresh pine tree stems and frosted cranberries. You may also decorate the cake with meringue mushrooms (using this meringue cookies recipe) or however, you like.
Place the cake into the fridge for a couple more hours.
Just before serving the cake sprinkle some powdered sugar to resemble the snow.
How to Heat a Knife for Perfectly Clean Slices
If you like to see nice and clean slices of cake as I do, it is important to know a few tips that will deliver that satisfying look for you. Slicing the cake with a warmed clean knife will turn out each and every slice of the cake clean and beautiful.
Place a long knife into a tall cup filled with hot water for 15 seconds or so. Remove the knife from the water and dry it using a paper towel. The hot knife will melt away stickiness and cleanly slice through the layers if you cut only in one downward direction, and pull the knife out at the base of the cake.
Repeat the same instruction each time you make a slice and you've got a drool-worthy presentation with each slice of this deliciousness you worked so hard on. Happy slicing and eating!
Enjoy with a cup of hot tea or latte!
If you make this recipe, please share your creation!
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- Simple Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake
- Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Apricot Bee Cake
- Red Velvet Berry Cake
- S'Mores Tiramisu Cake
- Chocolate Meringue Piano Cake
- Fruit Crepe Cake
Recipe Card
The Best Tree Stump Cake
Ingredients
Tree Stump Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups – all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. – baking soda
- 1 tsp. – baking powder
- ¼ tsp. – sea salt
- 8 large – eggs (I used home raised chicken eggs)
- 1 ½ cup – granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. – vanilla extract
- 1 cup – buttermilk
Tree Stump Cake Frosting Ingredients
- Chocolate ganache - (6 oz. – Hershey chocolate bar + ¼ cup – whole milk)
- 12 oz - unsalted butter
- 8 oz. – cream cheese
- ½ tsp. – sea salt
- ½ tsp. – vanilla extract
- ½ cup – cocoa or cacao powder
- 3 cup – powdered sugar
Tree Stump Cake Decor
- Pine Tree stems
- Frosted Cranberries
Instructions
How to Make Tree Stump Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line a 16x22 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Beat eggs and sugar on high for 5 minutes or until light, fluffy and pale yellow in color. Reduce the mixing speed to medium/low and add vanilla extract and buttermilk. Mix for a minute for the ingredients to blend well. The batter will be a little thin and that's what you actually want.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and add in the prepped dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt) into the egg mixture, ½ cup at a time. Using a hand whisk, gently mix in the dry ingredients with each addition, trying not to deflate air pockets as much as possible.
Tree Stump Cake Baking Instructions
- Transfer the batter into the earlier greased 16x22 inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Allow the cake sponge to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring it from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack.
- Make another batch of this sheet cake sponge using the same ingredients for this cake.
- Cool both sheet cake sponges completely before frosting.
Tree Stump Cake Frosting Instructions
- While the cake sponges are cooling, make the frosting.
- First, you will need to make the chocolate ganache (my favorite NO FAIL recipe) and cool completely before proceeding with the rest of the frosting instructions.
- Start by beating softened butter until creamy and smooth. Add softened cream cheese and beat again until both are well combined.
- Then add cooled chocolate ganache and mix until well combined, for a minute or so. Scrape down the cream off the sides of the mixer bowl halfway through.
- Mix in cocoa powder and then add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time. Once the powdered sugar is well blended in, increase the mixing speed to high and beat for a minute.
- NOTE: This entire batch of frosting is for the inside of the cake only. You will need to make another batch of this frosting recipe to decorate the top and the sides of the cake later on after the cake sets for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Assembling the Tree Stump Cake
- You should have your 2 sheets of 16x22 cake sponges cooled completely before frosting them.
- Split each sheet cake sponge in half vertically to have four 7x20 inch cake sponges (even though the photo below is showing just one sheet).
- Using a half-cup ice cream scoop, add 4 scoops of frosting to each of the 4 strips of sponge cake.
- Using a cake spatula spread out the frosting evenly over all 4 strips of cake sponges. (The image below shows only one sheet cake sponge, repeat the same frosting steps with the second sheet).
- This is a tricky and very important step. Start rolling the first strip like you would roll a regular cake roll. Firmly roll the sponge while at the same time focusing on preventing the cake sponges from breaking. Add the next strip by lining it up the short sides next to each other as soon after the previous one ends.
- Use the parchment paper for stability to help hold the roll together during the rolling process so that it does not unroll. Use all 4 strips of sheet cake sponges as one continuous long roll. When rolling up the last strip leave the parchment paper on and wrap additional strips of parchment paper (the ones you baked the cakes on) around the entire perimeter to hold this cake in place.
- Flip the cake log upright. You will need an assistant to hold both ends of the parchment paper snug around the cake, while you secure the parchment papers together by taping a long strip of 2" wide clear scotch tape over the parchment paper all the way around the cake.
- If you have some frosting left (usually a cup or so), use it up by spread it over the top of the cake. Then refrigerate the cake for 4 hours or overnight (my preference).
- Make the Frosted Cranberries the night before to give them time to dry and be ready for decorating the cake the next day.
How to Decorate the Tree Strum Cake
- The next day I start by making another batch of the frosting. Once the frosting is done, cut the clear tape and peel the parchment paper off the cake. The cake should be set, firm, and stable at this point. It is ready to be decorated.
- Add about one and a half cup more of the frosting on top of the cake. Spread it out evenly. Then using a cake spatula, make the swirl design.
- Then fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M attachment and fill with chocolate buttercream. First, pipe rose shape spread out randomly all around the cake. Then pipe vertical strips of cream in between the rose-shaped design starting from the base of the case to the top around the perimeter to represent the bark of the tree.
- Decorate the cake with fresh pine tree stems and frosted cranberries. You may also decorate the cake with meringue mushrooms (using this meringue cookies recipe) or however you like.
- Place the cake into the fridge for a couple more hours.
- Just before serving the cake sprinkle some powdered sugar to resemble the snow.
How to Heat a Knife for Perfectly Clean Slices
- If you like to see nice and clean slices of cake as I do, it is important to know a few tips that will deliver that satisfying look for you. Slicing the cake with a warmed clean knife will turn out each and every slice of the cake clean and beautiful.
- Place a long knife into a tall cup filled with hot water for 15 seconds or so. Remove the knife from the water and dry it using a paper towel. The hot knife will melt away stickiness and cleanly slice through the layers if you cut only in one downward direction, and pull the knife out at the base of the cake.
- Repeat the same instruction each time you make a slice and you've got a drool-worthy presentation with each slice of this deliciousness you worked so hard on. Happy slicing and eating!
- Enjoy with a cup of hot tea or latte!
Notes
Check out all cake recipes HERE.
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Jane says
What is the finished size of the cake? I like the wood tray idea but don’t know what size it would be. Thank you!
Valya's Taste of Home says
About 12" cake in diameter. Thank you for asking!
Angela says
Looks amazing! Can you freeze the sponges (rather than chilling them overnight) with the filling after it has been rolled? Just not sure I will have time to make this on Christmas Eve 🙂
And do you have any tips on how to roll the sponges so they don't split?
Valya's Taste of Home says
That is a tough question! I don't see why not. I've never experimented with it myself and am afraid to give a firm ok. But if you do, please come back and leave a comment on how it went, I would love to know! Thank you for your support! 🙂
As far as rolling: 1. Be generous by sprinkling with powdered sugar before rolling, 2. Do not roll the sponges tight, rather roll them loose, 3. Let the sponges cool completely and soften by keeping them covered with a cloth.
Elaine says
Hi! Making this cake this weekend for my daughter’s 14th birthday. Is it a 16X22 sheet or a 14X20 as it lists both in the article. Thanks!
Valya's Taste of Home says
The baking sheet is 16x22.
Gloria Peera says
How many servings is this cake?
Valya's Taste of Home says
This cake serve at least 12 people.
Nurit Philip says
Beautiful cake!
Valya's Taste of Home says
Thank you!
Viktoriya says
Hello, I'm planning to make this cake for this weekend, was wondering if it's ok to bake the sponge cake the night before and then put it together the next day. That's what I usually do with round cakes, just wasn't sure if it's ok to do with this cake.
Thanks
Valya's Taste of Home says
No, it will not work with this cake. This is basically a large cake roll. After baking the cake sponges you will need to roll them like you would a cake roll. If you leave it rolled and unfrosted until the next day it will stick together and will crumble when unrolling. You can frost rolled sponges, the rolled cake sponges need to stay in the fridge overnight before applying the outer layer of frosting. I hope this helps.