The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
If you love holiday treats that look magical and taste even better, you’re going to fall in love with these Festive Snowflake Christmas Tree Mini Cakes. These charming little cakes are soft, moist, beautifully decorated, and perfect for any celebration during the holiday season. With their adorable Christmas tree shape, dreamy green frosting, and delicate snowflake decorations, they’re the kind of dessert that instantly elevates any winter dessert table.
These mini cakes are made using a light vanilla or white cake base, baked either in a Christmas tree mold or cut from a sheet cake using cookie cutters. They’re then covered in smooth, creamy buttercream and decorated with snowflakes, edible pearls, and a dusting of powdered sugar that resembles fresh winter snow.
Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, making gifts for friends, baking with kids, or planning a festive dessert board, these mini cakes add elegance and fun to any celebration. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re also surprisingly easy to make — no advanced decorating skills required.
In this guide, we’ll walk through every step of creating these mini cakes: baking a perfect base, creating stable buttercream for decorating, assembling stunning little Christmas trees, and adding winter-inspired details that make these cakes truly magical.
Why You’ll Love These Snowflake Christmas Tree Mini Cakes
1. Beautiful Winter Design
Winter-themed snowflakes and shimmering decorations make these irresistible.
2. Perfect Size for Sharing
Mini cakes are individual servings — cute and easy to present.
3. Beginner-Friendly Decorating
Tree shapes make frosting simple and repeatable.
4. Versatile Flavors
Use vanilla cake, chocolate cake, red velvet, or gingerbread as the base.
5. Great for Gifting
Wrap each mini cake individually for adorable edible gifts.
Ingredients
Mini Cake Base
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Christmas Tree Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring
Decoration
- White edible snowflake sprinkles or fondant snowflakes
- White sugar pearls
- Silver nonpareils
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Edible glitter (optional)
Instructions
Make the Mini Cakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a Christmas tree silicone mold OR line a sheet pan with parchment.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Pour batter into molds or spread evenly in the pan.
- Bake 12–15 minutes (mini molds) or 18–20 minutes (sheet pan).
- Cool completely.
- If using a sheet cake, cut out trees using a cookie cutter.
Make the Green Buttercream
- Beat butter for 2–3 minutes until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar gradually on low speed.
- Add milk and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
- Add green gel coloring until desired shade is reached.
- Chill for 10 minutes for stability.
Assemble the Mini Cakes
- Place each mini cake on a flat plate.
- Use a small offset spatula or piping bag to frost the tree shape.
- Add white snowflake sprinkles and sugar pearls.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy look.
- Add edible glitter for sparkle.
Your winter wonderland mini cakes are ready!
Festive Snowflake Christmas Tree Mini Cakes
Adorable mini Christmas tree cakes decorated with green buttercream and white snowflakes for a magical winter treat.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease tree molds or line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Fill molds or pour batter onto sheet pan.
- Bake 12–15 minutes (molds) or 18–20 minutes (sheet cake).
- Beat butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar gradually.
- Add milk and vanilla; beat until fluffy.
- Tint frosting green and chill 10 minutes.
- Frost mini cakes and decorate with snowflakes and pearls.
Notes
For a snowy effect, chill cakes before dusting with powdered sugar.
Tips for Successful Mini Cakes
1. Use Gel Food Coloring
Gel keeps buttercream firm and vibrant.
2. Chill Cakes Before Decorating
Cold cakes = cleaner frosting.
3. Add Decorations Immediately
Buttercream crusts quickly — sprinkles stick best right away.
4. Use High-Quality Snowflake Sprinkles
Fondant or royal icing snowflakes give the cleanest look.
Fun Variations
White Christmas Trees
Frost with white buttercream + silver sparkles.
Chocolate Mini Trees
Use chocolate cake + chocolate ganache topping.
Peppermint Forest Trees
Add peppermint extract to buttercream.
Red Velvet Trees
Festive red interior with green frosting.
Serving Ideas
Serve these mini cakes:
- On a holiday dessert board
- At school parties
- As edible gifts in clear treat boxes
- With hot cocoa or peppermint mochas
- At Christmas dinner or brunch
Mini cakes are also great for children’s Christmas sleepovers or classroom parties.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: 3–4 days in an airtight container
- Room Temperature: 6 hours
- Freezer: Mini unfrosted cakes freeze for up to 2 months
