There are so many ways to decorate a cake for Christmas without having to spend hours on making fancy icing decorations. Here are two that I made using Christmas decorations that I had in my cupboard. Play around with colour schemes and fun themes to adorn your Christmas cake this year.
For a natural look I used cream linen to make a band to go around the bottom of the cake. You can use ribbon or natural twine for the same effect. I added the pine cones and natural baubles together with greenery which I foraged from a nearby tree. There is no need to buy expensive flowers and leaves, look around you for inspiration, you will be surprised what you can find. No one minds you picking a few leaves from their trees or plants, its all part of sharing the love at this festive time (or any time for that matter) .
For a sweeter version I added bought candy canes and a holly wreath. Try Gingerbread Men, silver and gold sprinkles or a combination of all your favourite Christmas chocolates.
These cakes were made in small 6″ cake tins. You will need two tins as each layer is made in a separate tin. Make sure the tins are lined and greased before adding the mixture. Once the chocolate layers are made, you can wash out the tins and prepare them again for the vanilla layers. Even though this cake is only 6″ in diameter it is lovely and tall and can feed about 15 people.
For a great way to cut the cake so that you don't have big wedges with a big outer edge of icing, slice the cake right through the middle and cut your first slices from the middle working outwards. This way you can cut a few slices, push the outer edges of the cake together and keep the cut edges moist at the same time. Take a look at this video to see how it is done. It is honestly the only way to cut a cake.
Chocolate and Vanilla Layer Cake
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYERS
- 30g. dark chocolate
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup +2 tbsp. (10 tbsp.) baking cocoa
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- FOR THE VANILLA LAYER
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup (57g) butter
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- FOR THE CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM
- 250g butter
- 3 cups sifted icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tsp milk if necessary
- CHOCOLATE LAYER
- Set your oven at 175ºC/350ºF . Line and grease 2 x 6" small cake tins.
- Whisk together dark chocolate and the boiling water until the chocolate is melted, and set aside.
- Whisk the egg until light and fluffy and then whisk in the vegetable oil.
- Add the rest of the ingredients including the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- VANILLA LAYER
- Melt the butter on the stove and whisk in the milk. Heat for a few minutes over low heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, and flour.
- Whisk in the butter/milk mixture until just combined.
- Pour into two greased and lined 6" cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre come out clean.
- CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM
- Beat together softened butter, sifted icing sugar and cinnamon and add a dash of milk to soften if necessary
