Christmas Tree Snack Cakes
Now you can enjoy a gluten-free version of a favorite holiday snack cake. Celiac Kitchen’s top cake baker shares how to make delicious moist cake snacks shaped into Christmas trees, filled with a layer of buttercream frosting and dipped in white chocolate. Pipe on a bit of colorful powdered sugar frosting and sprinkle colored sugar then pour a cup of hot cocoa, gather ‘round your tree and enjoy!
We demonstrate how to make this recipe in video on our YouTube channel
Christmas Tree Snack Cakes
Oven temperature: 325°F
Bake time: 40 – 45 minutes
List of ingredients:
Cake
½ cup milk at room temperature
½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4oz / 1 stick / ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz / 1½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
6.8 oz or 1½ cups Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
1.2 ounces or 4 tablespoons Expandex Modified Tapioca Starch (currently there are no substitutions for this ingredient)
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
4 oz eggs (2 medium whole eggs + 1 yolk at room temperature
½ teaspoon of your preferred extract (we used almond, can also use vanilla or vanilla bean paste) *be sure extract is labeled glute-free
Buttercream Frosting
10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
⅛ teaspoon salt
1¾ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Cake Decorations
4 oz white chocolate
2 teaspoons shortening (we use shortening since butter has a high water content; water mixed with chocolate will turn into a syrup)
Green sugar sprinkles
½ cup powdered sugar + 2-3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon milk
9 drops red food coloring
Prepare Cake
Begin by measuring:
½ cup milk, room temperature
½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Combine milk and vinegar; let sit for at least 5 minutes
Add these ingredients for creaming into a large mixing bowl:
4oz / 1 stick / ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz / 1½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
Why add olive oil?
It will help emulsify this and give it a good texture without messing up the ratio of butter to sugar to flour to egg.
Pour sugar into bowl; add butter and olive oil
Use a stand or hand mixer, cream for 10 minutes; start on low speed, gradually increase speed
Create the foundation for a moist cake
Cream ingredients together for about 10 minutes until mixture is uniform and fluffy
While butter and sugar are creaming, measure dry ingredients into a clean bowl:
weight measurements are most accurate; volume measurements are approximate
6.8 oz or 1½ cups Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour
1.2 ounces or 4 tablespoons Expandex
about 15% of dry ingredient weight is Expandex which is a modified tapioca starch that improves texture
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt (important for flavor)
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
baking powder and soda react in 2 different ways; both are leavening agents
Blend together dry ingredients and set aside
Add to mixing bowl with creamed butter, sugar and olive oil:
Once mixture is creamy and fluffy, scrape beater and sides of bowl
Add equivalent of 1 egg at a time; mix for 1-2 minutes between adding each egg
Once first egg is fully incorporated, add 2nd egg
Scrape sides of bowl as needed and mix for 1-2 minutes
Add 3rd egg, incorporate for another 1-2 minutes
Add ½ teaspoon of your preferred extract. We’re using almond – can also use vanilla or vanilla bean paste
*extracts can be common source of contamination (caramel color) be sure yours is gluten free
Keep mixer on low speed while adding:
About ¼ cup of dry mix at a time
Slowly incorporate milk and vinegar mixture (it’s okay if vinegar curdled milk)
Alternate between dry and wet ingredients; finish with wet ingredients
Scrape sides and beater as needed
Since gluten free, there is no concern about overdeveloping gluten and we do want to be sure we have well-hydrated dry components so it’s okay to mix longer to be sure it is all well mixed
Lightly spray bottom of 9”x13” cake pan with canola oil
Press a sheet of parchment paper into pan
Lightly spray parchment paper with canola oil
Pour batter into pan; spread to even thickness
Bake:
Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 40 – 45 minutes. our kitchen should smell like cake, top will be golden brown and will bounce back if you lightly press on it or do a toothpick test. General rule of thumb for internal temperature is 200 – 210°F (though not a reliable indicator)
Cool completely – 30 minutes to 1 hour
You will know you’re cake is baked when:
The smell of baked cake fills your kitchen
The top is golden brown
Edges of cake are slightly separated from edges of pan
A toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean
The cake bounces back when lightly pressed
Prepare Buttercream Frosting (makes about 2¼ cups):
Cream butter in large mixing bowl
Gradually add in 1¾ cup powdered sugar, mixing in between
Using electric mixer, start on low and gradually increase speed
Whip until light and fluffy
Incorporate cream; continue whipping until frosting is smooth and creamy and appears to have doubled in content
Shape snack cakes:
Use Christmas a tree cookie cutter to shape snack cakes
Cut in half horizontally
Spread a layer of frosting in center then lightly press two halves together
Freeze frosted snack cakes 15 - 20 minutes before dipping in white chocolate
Prepare melting chocolate:
Place white chocolate and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl
Microwave for 30 seconds; stir
Microwave for another 30 seconds; stir
As needed, continue placing in microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring in between until white chocolate is melted
Decorate snack cakes:
Put ½ cup powdered sugar, milk, red food coloring into a zip lock bag; zip the bag
Squish together in bag to blend
Add 2-3 tablespoons more powdered sugar as needed for desired consistency
Dip tree-shaped snack cakes - one at a time - into bowl of melted white chocolate; coat
Place on parchment paper
Cut a very small corner off the zip lock bag and use as piping to decorate trees with red drizzle
Add green sugar sprinkles
Let dry about 20 minutes or until drizzle hardens
