This Winter Wonderland Cake brings a beautiful, sparkling winter theme to your holiday season. This delightful dessert not only captures the magic of the winter season but also offers a delicious journey through snowy landscapes of flavors and is a great showstopper cake.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
Winter themed dessert: this winter wonderland white cake is perfect for your next holiday gathering, first birthday, or wintery wedding cakes!
Visually satisfying: The cake's presentation is nothing short of a winter wonderland. Adorned with edible snowflakes, shimmering icing, and a sprinkle of edible glitter, this dessert is as visually captivating as it is delicious.
Customizable and versatile: This recipe allows for creativity and customization. Whether you prefer a classic vanilla base or want to experiment with flavors like chocolate, gingerbread, or even a boozy fruitcake twist, the Winter Wonderland Cake is open to your personal touch.
🥘 Ingredients
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Granulated sugar
Vegetable oil
Large eggs
Vanilla extract
Sour cream
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Whole. milk
Salted butter, softened to room temperature
Powdered sugar
Heavy whipping cream
🔪 Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 6 inch pans with vegetable shortening and lightly dust with flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil until well combined.
- Add the sour cream and milk to the egg mixture and combine thoroughly.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until a smooth batter forms.
- Place the filled cake pans on a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove baked cakes from the the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer on low speed, combine the room temperature butter, 3 cups of confectioners sugar, and half of the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until creamy, gradually adding the remaining sugar, cream, and vanilla while alternating.
- Increase the mixer's speed to high and whip the frosting for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Divide the frosting in half. Set aside one half. Divide the the second half of frosting into 2 equal portions. Use each portion to create the light blue and blue frostings.
- To mix the light blue color, add 1 to 2 drops of blue food dye and mix until desired color is reached.
- To mix the blue color, add 6 to 7 drops of blue food dye and mix until desired color is reached.
- Take the remaining half of the white buttercream frosting and separate one-third of it. Set this portion aside for any touch-ups or corrections.
To frost the cake
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, use a cake or bread knife to carefully slice off the risen center of each cake, making them flat on top.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a flat surface. Add a small amount of white frosting and spread it evenly, leaving a layer about ½ inch thick.
- Add the other cake and place it on top of the frosted layer, making sure it aligns properly.
- Apply a thin layer of white buttercream frosting to cover the two cake layers completely creating a crumb coat. Smooth the frosting as desired while keeping the edges of the cakes intact.
- Using a piping bag, pipe the dark blue frosting on the top of the cake.
- Next, pipe the dark blue frosting on the side, top of the ⅓.
- Pipe the light blue frosting on the side of the cake on the middle ⅔.
- Pipe the white frosting on the side, bottom of the third.
- With a cake scraper, evenly and gently scrape your frosting to create your ombre. Make sure you keep your cake scraper level, and not going up and down as it will damage the ombre effect.
- To create the snowflakes, print the template and lay parchment paper over.
- Melt the white chocolate with a splash of oil for 1 minutes. Stir until smooth or continue melting 30 seconds at a time until completely melted. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the white chocolate to a piping bag and cut a very fine tip. Trace the snowflakes.
- While snowflakes are still wet, sprinkle with decorative sugar and set aside to harden.
- Once hardened, carefully lift from paper and allow unstuck sugar to fall. Place on the cake as desired.
- Top the cake with more decorative sugar and pearl sprinkles.
🥄 Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Electric hand mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Cake leveler or serrated knife
Piping bag
Scissors (to cup the tip of the piping bag)
Parchment paper
Cake scraper
🥫Storage
Room temperature: store any leftover cake in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Freeze: store in a freezer safe container up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
📖 Variations
Flavor Infusions: Experiment with flavors like peppermint, cinnamon, or hazelnut to add a unique twist to the cake layers or frosting.
Fruit Additions: Incorporate winter fruits like cranberries, pomegranates, or citrus zest for a burst of freshness amidst the wintry flavors.
Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle coconut flakes and/or toasted nuts like almonds or pecans between the layers for added texture.
💭 Tips
Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that your eggs, butter, and liquids are at room temperature for a smoother batter consistency.
Leveling Cakes: Use a serrated knife or cake leveler to trim the cake layers for an even and stable structure.
Chill Before Decorating: Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent it from melting and ensure the layers stay firm.
📚 Related Recipes
The entire family loves these Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies with their glittery decorations!
Sugar Cutout Cookies are so fun when you make them into snowflakes and add that special icing touch!
Buttery and delicious these Butternut Squash Rolls are a soft and tender dinner roll perfect for the holiday table.
Butternut Squash Summer Rolls are a unique and delicious addition to the holiday appetizer.
Baked Strawberry Donuts are delicious warm with a hot mug of coffee in the morning.
Bacon makes everything better, including these Bacon Wrapped Butternut Squash Bites!
🍽 Serve with..
Slice into this Winter Wonderland Cake to reveal its intricate layers and serve alongside a steaming cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine. For an added touch, dust individual slices with powdered sugar before serving.
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📖 Recipe
Winter Wonderland Cake with White Chocolate Snowflakes
Equipment
- Cake leveler , or serrated knife
- Scissors (to cup the tip of the piping bag)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup milk
For the Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops blue food dye , for light blue color
- 6-7 drops blue food dye. , for dark blue color
For the Decorations
- 3 ounces White chocolate bark
- Decoration sugar
- White pearl sprinkles
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 6 inch pans with vegetable shortening and lightly dust with flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil until well combined.
- Add the sour cream and milk to the egg mixture and combine thoroughly.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until a smooth batter forms.
- Place the filled cake pans on a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove baked cakes from the the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer on low speed, combine the room temperature butter, 3 cups of confectioners sugar, and half of the heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until creamy, gradually adding the remaining sugar, cream, and vanilla while alternating.
- Increase the mixer's speed to high and whip the frosting for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Divide the frosting in half. Set aside one half. Divide the the second half of frosting into 2 equal portions. Use each portion to create the light blue and blue frostings.
- To mix the light blue color, add 1 to 2 drops of blue food dye and mix until desired color is reached.
- To mix the blue color, add 6 to 7drops of blue food dye and mix until desired color is reached.
- Take the remaining half of the white buttercream frosting and separate one-third of it. Set this portion aside for any touch-ups or corrections.
To frost the cake
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, use a cake or bread knife to carefully slice off the risen center of each cake, making them flat on top.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a flat surface. Add a small amount of white frosting and spread it evenly, leaving a layer about ½ inch thick.
- Add the other cake and place it on top of the frosted layer, making sure it aligns properly.
- Apply a thin layer of white buttercream frosting to cover the two cake layers completely creating a crumb coat. Smooth the frosting as desired while keeping the edges of the cakes intact.
- Using a piping bag, pipe the dark blue frosting on the top of the cake.
- Next, pipe the dark blue frosting on the side, top of the ⅓.
- Pipe the light blue frosting on the side of the cake on the middle ⅔.
- Pipe the white frosting on the side, bottom of the third.
- With a cake scraper, evenly and gently scrape your frosting to create your ombre. Make sure you keep your cake scraper level, and not going up and down as it will damage the ombre effect.
For the Decorations
- To create the snowflakes, print the template and lay parchment paper over.
- Melt the white chocolate with a splash of oil for 1 minutes. Stir until smooth or continue melting 30 seconds at a time until completely melted. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the white chocolate to a piping bag and cut a very fine tip. Trace the snowflakes.
- While snowflakes are still wet, sprinkle with decorative sugar and set aside to harden.
- Once hardened, carefully lift from paper and allow unstuck sugar to fall. Place on the cake as desired.
- Top the cake with more decorative sugar and pearl sprinkles.
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