Chocolate Tree Cake Recipes

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE XMAS TREES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 1-inch holes out of the bottom of a large inverted foil roasting pan in neat rows, leaving 1 to 2 inches in between the holes. Invert the pan and place paper cooler cups in the holes to hold them upright during baking.
• Sift together the 3 cups sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Transfer to a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) and blend briefly. Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin.
• Pour the batter into the cups. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay) and the center feels firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Chill for 2 hours then peel off the paper being careful not to tear off the tip of the peak.
• Place cakes on a rack over a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and with a fork drizzle both colors of chocolate then stick on M & M's and silver dragee to look like ornaments on a little Xmas tree.

CHOCOLATE TREE CAKE

Steps:

• Beat the butter with sifted icing sugar and a little green food colouring. Spread the mixture on an 18-20cm square sponge or chocolate cake. Use matchstick chocolates or black liquorice laces to mark the branches of a Christmas tree, then dot on assorted chocolates to look like decorations.

3 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment, allowing the parchment to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the cookies and baking powder in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the milk. Continue to process until you have a smooth batter, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.
• For the icing: Meanwhile, combine the powdered sugar and milk in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth, then set aside.
• Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan before carefully removing it from the pan using the parchment overhang and placing it on a platter.
• Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Pour the icing over the top and spread it all over. Top with the sprinkles, then slice and serve.

CHOCOLATE TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13-inch pan with butter and flour.
• Beat cake mix, chocolate milk, canola oil, eggs, and espresso powder together in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on a low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium and continue beating another 2 minutes; pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan until it is no longer hot to the touch. While the cake is still warm, poke lots of holes all over the cake with a small skewer or a fork.
• Whisk sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half, evaporated milk, and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder together in a bowl until cocoa is mostly incorporated into the liquid; slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely as the liquid soaks into it.
• Sift confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
• Beat heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute. While continuing to mix, add sugar-and-cocoa mixture to the cream in 2 batches, allowing the first to incorporate before adding the second. Increase mixer speed to medium-high; beat until soft peaks form and the cream is thickened and spreadable. Spread chocolate whipped cream on the cake to serve.

MAPLE TREE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add sour cream and maple flavoring. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to sour cream mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Add syrup; mix well. Set aside 2/3 cup frosting for decoration. Spread remaining frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and peanut butter chips; stir until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in the corner of bag. Pipe a tree trunk and branches on top of cake. , For decorative leaves, divide the reserved frosting between 2 small bowls. Add red food coloring to 1 bowl; stir to combine. Add yellow food coloring to other bowl; stir to combine. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert #21 star tip. Spoon the frostings alternately into the bag. Pipe frosting on top of cake to resemble leaves of tree.

CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE WITH MINI TREES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 4-cup and a 2-cup oven-proof measuring cup. Place paper baking cup in each of 7 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make cake mix as directed on box using water, oil and eggs. Add almond extract and enough green food color to make light green batter; blend well. Fill 4-cup measuring cup with 2 cups batter. Fill 2-cup measuring cup with 1 cup batter. Divide remaining batter into muffin cups.
• Bake cupcakes 20 to 25 minutes, 2-cup measuring cup 30 to 35 minutes and 4-cup measuring cup 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan and cakes from measuring cups to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Mix in 3/4 cup milk, vanilla and enough green food color to make desired green colored frosting. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time.
• Assemble and Decorate: Using serrated knife cut rounded tops off cakes baked in measuring cups to make a level surface. Place large cake, wider end down, on cake plate. Spread 1/4 cup frosting on top. Put small cake on top of large cake, wider end down. Spread 2 tablespoons frosting on top. Remove paper liner from 1 cupcake. Trim off rounded top of cupcake to flatten. Place cut side down on top of small cake. Spread 1 tablespoon frosting on top. Insert skewer through center of all cakes to secure tree. Break off pieces of one waffle cone to make top of cone even. Place cone, top side down, to form top of tree.
• Place frosting in resealable food storage bag or decorating bag. Cut 1/2 inch off corner of bag for tip of decorating bag. Starting at the base of the tree, pipe about a 1 inch dot of frosting. Use back of teaspoon, spread frosting vertically upward. Continue piping dots and spreading frosting around base of tree. Pipe another row of dots overlapping dots from previous row; spread vertically upward. Continue making and spreading dots to tip of cone. Place dot of frosting in tip of cone. Decorate tree with candy coated chocolate balls.
• To assemble and frost 6 mini trees, remove paper liners from remaining 6 cupcakes. If necessary, trim off rounded tops to flatten. Place cut side down on doilies or small individual plates. Break off pieces of 6 waffle cones to make tops of cones even. Place top side down to cover cupcakes, using frosting to secure cones on cupcakes. Using frosting in bag, pipe 1-inch dots around base of tree and use to teaspoon to spread frosting vertically. Continue making rows of dots and spreading them vertically upward to top of cone. Place dot of frosting on tip of cone. Repeat for remaining trees. Decorate trees with candy-coated chocolate balls.

CHOCOLATE TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of a 9-by-13-inch cake pan (preferably metal), leaving a 1/4-inch border that remains ungreased. Do not butter the sides of the pan.
• Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large bowl. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and sift. Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
• In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth. Carefully pour in the boiling water and stir until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the tres leches: In a large bowl, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk (setting 3 tablespoons aside for the whipped cream), heavy cream and vanilla bean seeds or extract (if using) and whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using immediately.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake's edges. Cool completely.
• While the cake is still in the pan, use a skewer or a fork to poke small holes through the cake to the bottom, about an inch apart. Slowly spoon the tres leches over the top of the cake, giving it time to soak in. Once the liquid is absorbed, repeat until all the tres leches is used. (Toward the end, the tres leches will pool at the edges, but don't worry; it will be absorbed while in the fridge.) Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• When ready to serve, make the whipped cream: Add the reserved condensed milk along with the cream, vanilla and cinnamon (if using) to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium high until the cream has doubled in volume, forms soft peaks and is light and fluffy. Spread the cake with the cream and sprinkle the chocolate shavings on top. Serve from the pan.

CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TREES

Steps:

• Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon melted chocolate into a small resealable plastic bag and cut off a small corner.
• Pipe Christmas tree shape onto the parchment paper and allow to harden in a cool place overnight.
• Once the chocolate has hardened, carefully remove chocolate trees from paper and use to decorate Christmas cakes or desserts.