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Santa Cake

Believe it or not, this is the first Santa cake I’ve ever made! I originally made this cake to celebrate St. Nicholas Day earlier in December but I’m just getting around to sharing it now.

I love this cake because it’s so festive and fun to decorate! It’s decorated solely with buttercream and is made with the best almond cake layers.

image of a cute santa cake that's been decorated with buttercream

Making This Santa Cake: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Let’s walk through each step of this cake together to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible! I’ve also included a video tutorial below.

I figured it might be helpful to know what tools I use too, so I’ve shared a list below.

Not all of these are mandatory, but they make the process a lot easier. If you don’t have all these things on hand, feel free to improvise and work with what you have.

Step 1: Bake the Almond Cake Layers

The first step is to make the almond cake layers. Line the pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray or homemade cake release.

Use the green and red gel food coloring to color half the batter green and half of the batter red. If you want to create a marbled look like I did below, only partially mix the food coloring into the batter.

image of red and green marbled cake layers in 7-inch cake pans

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Then bake the layers and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes.

Run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. 

Flip the cake layers onto a wire rack to cool.  Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers once they’re fully cooled.

If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point. Take them out of the freezer about 20 minutes before you want to assemble the cake.

Step 2: Make the Buttercream Frosting

Next, we work on the buttercream frosting. I chose to make this cake with almond American buttercream, but any type of frosting should work great on this cake.

I find American buttercream is sturdier and easier to smooth, which is why I chose to use it for this design.

If you want to use a less sweet frosting, I’d recommend using a batch of my hybrid buttercream or my Swiss Meringue buttercream.

If the frosting seems too thick after mixing all the ingredients, add additional heavy cream or milk (1 tablespoon at a time).

Or if the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).

image of vanilla American buttercream in a glass bowl

If you’re unsure how thick your frosting should be, you can learn what consistency you’re looking for in my frosting consistency post.

Wait to color the frosting until you’ve crumb coated the cake. Cover the frosting flush with plastic wrap and set aside.

Step #3: Stack and Frost the Cake Layers

Stack and frost cake layers on an 8-inch greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

I highly recommend chilling your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.

image of green and red marbled cake layers that have been stacked and frosted with buttercream

Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with an offset spatula.

Spread a thin coat of frosting around the top two cake layers with a small offset spatula or acetate sheet, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

image of a cake being crumb coated with buttercream

Step 4: Color the Buttercream

Next, we color the buttercream. It’s going to sound crazy, but all the frosting can be colored in one bowl.

We start with the lightest colors and work our way to the darkest, so it works out great!

image of buttercream that's been colored and placed in piping bags to decorate a Santa cake

I recommend using gel food coloring to color the frosting. It allows you to create vibrant colors without throwing off the consistency or taste of the buttercream.

Step 5: Pipe the Decorations onto This Santa Cake

Then it’s finally time to decorate our Santa cake! If your hands run hot, wrap a paper towel, or thin kitchen towel around your piping bag to prevent the transfer of heat from your hands into the frosting.

Spread a layer of red frosting around the sides of the cake smooth using a bench scraper. Don’t worry about completely covering the top of the cake, we’ll take care of that a bit later.

image of red buttercream frosting being smoothed on a cake

Next, pipe a line about halfway up the side of the cake using the black buttercream to be Santa’s belt.

Use the yellow buttercream to pipe a square over the belt to look like a belt buckle.

image of a frosting buckle being piped onto a Santa cake

Next, add two black semi circles at the bottom of the cake under the belt buckle to look like Santa’s feet. Place the remaining red buttercream in a piping bag fit with a large round tip like a Wilton 1A.

Pipe on Santa’s arms by making two diagonal lines from the top of the cake towards the belt buckle like in the picture above. Pipe two circles of skin-tone frosting at the bottom of the arms to look like hands.

image of a partially decorated Santa cake

Then cover the top of the cake with skin-tone frosting. Make a line about 3/4 of the way up the cake and pipe red buttercream in the top 1/4 of the cake to create Santa’s hat.

Make sure you keep in mind where Santa’s belt buckle is as you pipe on his hat, so that everything is properly aligned.

Pipe an elongated triangle on top of the hat, to look like it’s hanging down towards his face. Use the white buttercream to pipe small swirls along the base of the hat to look like fur.

image of buttercream fur being piped onto a Santa cake

If desired, you can also add some white sanding sugar onto the base of Santa’s hat.

Then use the black buttercream to pipe on Santa’s eyes and mouth and the skin toned buttercream to to pipe Santa’s nose.

The last step is to pipe white buttercream swirls around the mouth to look like Santa’s beard and mustache.

image of a festive Santa cake

Substitutions and Swaps – Almond Cake Layers

This Santa cake uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.

  • All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if needed.
  • Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
  • Egg Whites – You can use 5 large eggs in place of the egg whites, or if you have an egg allergy you can try using flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer.
  • Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
  • Almond Extract – This ingredient is optional and can be replaced with a different extract or additional vanilla extract.
image of a slice of red and green marbled cake layers

Substitutions and Swaps – Buttercream Frosting

  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
  • Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe too.
  • Almond Extract – This ingredient is optional and can be replaced with a different extract or additional vanilla extract.

Making This Santa Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Or store it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist. It can be stored in the fridge like this for up to a week.

image of a Santa cake that's been cut into with a red knife

Tips for Making the Best Santa Cake:

  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes it a lot easier to stack and frost.
  • Make a vegan or dairy free Santa cake if needed! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the sour cream and heavy cream and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter. For the eggs I recommend using an egg replacer like this.
  • Be patient and give yourself lots of time! Take your time piping the frosting and adding on the details to this cake.
  • If your hands run hot, wrap a paper towel, or thin kitchen towel around your piping bag to prevent the transfer of heat from your hands into the frosting.
image of a cute Santa cake that's been decorated with buttercream

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this Santa cake, I’d love to hear how it goes! Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below.

If you share on social media, tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 24

Santa Cake

image of a cute santa cake that's been decorated with buttercream

Learn how to make this adorable Santa cake with buttercream! It's the perfect holiday cake and is so fun to make.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

White Almond Cake Recipe

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
  • 1 cup pasteurized egg whites from a carton or about 7 egg whites, room temperature (235g)
  • 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature (380g)
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (28g)
  • 2 tsp almond extract (8g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
  • Red and green gel food coloring

Almond Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (452g)
  • 2 tsp almond extract (8g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 7 cups powdered sugar (904g or a 2 lb. bag)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (80g)
  • Red, ivory, and black gel food coloring, if desired

Recommend Tools and Equipment

Instructions

White Almond Cake Layers:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and grease and line three, 8-inch or four 7-inch pans with parchment rounds.
  2. Mix 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
  3. Mix in 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter slowly into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
  4. Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on a medium speed until combined.
  5. Add in 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil, 2 tsp of almond extract, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract on a low speed. Mix until fully incorporated.
  6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium-high speed for about a minute to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps the cake layers bake up with a lighter texture.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls. Use gel food coloring to color one red, and one green. If you want to create a marbled look like I did above, only partially mix the food coloring into the batter.
  8. Then pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.
  9. Bake for 33-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  11. Place cake layers into the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers.
  12. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers right before you plan to assemble your cake, or you can wrap and freeze them if you're making them in advance.
  13. If you make these cake layers in advance and freeze them, let them thaw for about 20 minutes before making your cake. The cake layers should still be slightly cold to the touch, which will make it easier to assemble your cake.

Almond Buttercream Frosting:

  1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the almond buttercream frosting.
  2. Beat 2 cups of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until smooth.
  3. Mix in 2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp of salt on a low speed until combined.
  4. Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
  5. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional heavy cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). If you're not sure what consistency the frosting should be, check out my buttercream consistency guide.
  6. Wait to add in the gel food coloring until the cake is crumb coated. Cover the frosting flush with plastic wrap and set aside.

Assembling This Santa Cake:

  1. Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  2. Add an even layer of buttercream on top of each cake layer, then spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers.
  3. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Color the Buttercream:

  1. While the cake chills, prep the buttercream to decorate this cake. Scoop 1 cup of uncolored buttercream into a piping bag fit with a large open star tip (like a Wilton 1M).
  2. Place 1/2 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and add gel food coloring to create a flesh-toned color. Place into a piping bag fit with a large, round tip like a Wilton 1A. Set aside.
  3. Add 1/3 cup of frosting into the same bowl and color yellow with gel food coloring. Place into a piping bag fit with a coupler and a medium-sized round piping tip (like a Wilton 10).
  4. Scoop 2/3 cup of frosting into the same bowl and color black with gel food coloring. Place into a piping bag fit with a coupler and a medium-sized round piping tip (like a Wilton 10).
  5. Color the remaining frosting red with a generous squirt of red gel food coloring, plus the smallest drop of black (it helps deepen the shade). If you're having trouble getting a super red buttercream, try making the frosting a day in advance. The color will deepen overnight and as the cake sits.

Decorating This Santa Cake:

  1. Spread a layer of red frosting around the sides of the cake smooth using a bench scraper. Don't worry about completely covering the top of the cake, we'll take care of that a bit later.
  2. Next, pipe a line about halfway up the side of the cake using the black buttercream to be Santa's belt.
  3. Use the yellow buttercream to pipe a square over the belt to look like a belt buckle.
  4. Next, add two black semi circles at the bottom of the cake under the belt buckle to look like Santa's feet.
  5. Place the remaining red buttercream in a piping bag fit with a large round tip like a Wilton 1A. Pipe on Santa's arms by making two diagonal lines from the top of the cake towards the belt buckle like in the picture above. Pipe two circles of skin-tone frosting at the bottom of the arms to look like hands.
  6. Then cover the top of the cake with skin-tone frosting. Make a line about 3/4 of the way up the cake and pipe red buttercream in the top 1/4 of the cake to create Santa's hat. Make sure you keep in mind where Santa's belt buckle is as you pipe on his hat, so that everything is properly aligned.
  7. Pipe an elongated triangle on top of the hat, to look like it's hanging down towards his face.
  8. Use the white buttercream to pipe small swirls along the base of the hat to look like fur. If desired, you can also add some white sanding sugar onto the base of Santa's hat.
  9. Then use the black buttercream to pipe on Santa's eyes and mouth. Pipe white buttercream swirls around the mouth to look like Santa's beard and mustache. The last step is to pipe Santa's nose above his mustache.

Notes

Recipe Variations

This recipe can also be used to make a sheet cake! One batch will make 2, 9 x 13-inch cake layers that are about 1-inch tall. Bake for 35-40 mins at 350 F / 175 C. I recommend using heating cores if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.

You can make one 9 x 13-inch cake layer that's about 2 inches tall, but bake time will be 45-55 minutes at 350 F/ 175 C.

One batch of cake batter makes about 1800 grams. If you plan to use four circular cake pans, add 450 grams of batter into each pan.

Tips for Making the Best Santa Cake

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
  • Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any big air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
  • Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making This Santa Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 550Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 75mgSodium 288mgCarbohydrates 70gFiber 0gSugar 57gProtein 4g

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Emily Day

Monday 13th of May 2019

This cake was great! I live in CO at a high elevation and found this cake to be a bit dry, would you suggest substituting butter for oil? Thanks!

Chelsweets

Thursday 16th of May 2019

I haven't tried that before, but that's definitely an interesting idea! Now I want to test that out :) if you beat me to it, let me know how it works for you! <3

janet Zondag

Friday 8th of June 2018

Please take a look at this magnificent cake made by cubes baking company in Seattle for my daughter's wedding last weekend at Golden Gardens! AWESOME CUSTOM CAKE! Must see!

tres leche cake blackberry buttercream filling buttercream icing https://www.instagram.com/p/BjkpOBpAmkY/?taken-by=cubesbaking

Chelsweets

Thursday 21st of June 2018

that is one beautiful cake!

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