by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Yield
12 trees (6 whole trees when “glued” together)
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Yield
12 trees (6 whole trees when “glued” together)
summary
Use a baking pan with tree molds to bake up these festive Christmas tree gingerbread cakes that look pretty, taste amazing and fill your home with the sweet smell of holiday spices. Serve as is on a platter or “glue” the tree-shaped cakes together with frosting for a 3-D treat. A dusting of powdered sugar “snow” is all the decoration you’ll need.
ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Store-bought vanilla frosting
- Powdered sugar
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a nonstick cooking spray, coat a baking pan with tree shapes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream the butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the canola or vegetable oil and molasses, and beat until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated, and then mix in the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients and mix until completely combined.
- Fill each of the tree molds until just under the top, about ¼ cup in each mold. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the trees cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then unmold onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- To make “whole trees,” use a spreader to apply a scant teaspoon of vanilla frosting to the flat side of half of the trees, and stick together with the other half. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
notes
If the trees aren’t perfectly flat to fit together or stand up, use a serrated knife to shave the trees. Don’t throw away those shavings! Either eat them or save them in a ziplock in your freezer to put on top of vanilla ice cream.
It is very important to allow the trees to cool completely before you stand them up as they will fall apart if you don’t. In fact, it’s recommended to make the trees a full day in advance before assembling “whole trees.”
To help trees stand upright on a platter, place a small dollop of frosting on the platter under each tree. This gives the trees something to stick to.
