Christmas Tree Sheet Cake

Instructions

1. Prepare the recipe for Vanilla Sheet Cake or Chocolate Sheet Cake as instructed. Cool completely. Turn the cake out onto a baking sheet or large serving platter.

2. Prepare 1/2 the recipe for Chocolate Buttercream as instructed. Frost the cake all over with the chocolate buttercream, smoothing out the top the best you can. Make sure to reserve 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream to use for decorating. Refrigerate the cake for several hours, until the chocolate buttercream is firm and cold.

3. Prepare 2x the recipe for Perfect American Vanilla Buttercream as instructed. Use half butter / half shortening for a whiter color. Use the Super Red gel food coloring to color 1/2 cup of the vanilla buttercream a deep red. Use the Super Black, Forest Green, Electric Green, Turquoise, and Leaf Green gel food coloring to color 1 1/4 cups of the vanilla buttercream a deep green. I start with a small drop of each color, then continue to add more of each until achieving the shade of green I want. Leave the rest of the vanilla buttercream white.

4. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and one of the small round tips, like #3 or #4. Fill with chocolate buttercream. In the lower left corner of the cake, pipe the outline for the fireplace, then fill in the outline. Lightly dab a small amount of the red and white buttercream on top of the brown, then use a palette knife to smooth it out. Drag a toothpick through the buttercream to create the brick pattern. Add a few drops of Super Black gel food coloring to a small amount of the chocolate buttercream. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and one of the small round tips, like #3 or #4. Fill with the black buttercream. Pipe the mantle above the bricks, and fill in the center of the fireplace. Use a palette knife to smooth out the black buttercream. Add a few drops of Electric Yellow gel food coloring to a small amount of the red buttercream, to make it more orange. Use a palette knife to paint some orange flames in the center of the fireplace. Use a palette knife to paint some chocolate brown logs over the flames. Sprinkle a little black sanding sugar around the logs to resemble coals and ashes.

5. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a small round tip, and fill with the red buttercream. Pipe the outline of the stockings, then fill in the stockings and smooth the buttercream with a palette knife. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a small round tip, and fill with white buttercream. Pipe some fluffy swirls on the top edge of the stockings, then pipe a small loop for them to hang on the mantle.