This Easy Holiday Cake is festive, fluffy, and full of cheerful flavor-perfect for Christmas parties or cozy winter gatherings. With boxed cake mix and a few simple add-ins, you'll have a show-stopping dessert that looks fancy but takes minimal effort!
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Why This Recipe Works
Perfect for Parties: Feeds a crowd, travels well, and looks beautiful on any dessert table.
Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples and a boxed cake mix-no complicated steps.
Festive Flavor: Red and green sprinkles and candies add instant holiday magic.
What This Recipe Needs
- Boxed Cake Mix: The easy base that guarantees light, consistent texture.
- Egg Whites & Oil: Create structure and richness for a perfect crumb.
- Holiday Sprinkles: Bring color, crunch, and festive flair.
- Vanilla Frosting: My easy buttercream recipe is smooth, delicious, and perfect for a classic Christmas look!
- Piping Bag and Wilton 1M Tip: Makes decorating easy!
This Christmas I am all about easy Christmas Desserts! I made the Snowball Cupcakes, Easy Chocolate Truffles, the gorgeous Sugared Cranberries, Candied Orange Peels, and now this beautiful cake!
Substitutions
- Cake Mix: Use any boxed cake mix you prefer or try my Funfettie Birthday Cake or White Chocolate Cupcake Recipe for easy-from-scratch cakes!
- Oil: Melted butter works great for extra flavor.
- Frosting: Try my easy whipped cream cheese frosting instead of vanilla buttercream for a more tart flavor.
How to Make Easy Holiday Cake
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Prep your cake rounds by covering the inside of the pans with a light layer of floured cooking spray. Mix together the cake mix, oil, vanilla, water, egg whites, and sprinkles.
- Step 2: Divide the batter between the cake rounds.
- Step 3: Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Vanilla Frosting
- Step 5: Cream butter until fluffy.
- Step 6: Alternate between adding powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and heavy cream a 1 tablespoon at a time until all is mixed in. Then mix in the vanilla and salt.
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How to Frost The Holiday Cake
- Step 7: Assemble the cake layers with a thick layer of frosting in between. Using a Wilton 1M piping tip, pipe on large swirls all over the cake. Add Christmas M&Ms and sprinkles to the top of the cake and enjoy!
Variations
- Peppermint Twist: Add crushed candy canes for a minty crunch.
- Chocolate Version: Use chocolate cake mix with red and green sprinkles.
- Bundt Style: Bake in a Bundt pan and drizzle with white chocolate for an elegant look.
- Mini Cakes: Divide the batter into mini loaf pans for adorable edible gifts.
- Tall and Small: Bake the cake mix in three 6-inch pans for a taller, narrower cake.
Expert Tips
- Don't Overmix: Mix until just combined for the fluffiest texture.
- Check Early: Ovens vary-start checking for doneness 5 minutes before the timer.
- Cool Before Icing: Let the cake cool fully, or the frosting will melt and make a mess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Bake, allow it to cool, then Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and then frost the cake before serving.
Yes-white, yellow, or even red velvet cake mix works great for the holidays.
Definitely! Just fold them in gently before baking so they're evenly distributed.
Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Related Recipes
If you like this easy Christmas dessert, make sure to check out my Snowman Truffles, Candy Cane Cupcakes, Candy Cane Beignets, Twice Upon a Micky Cupcake, Christmas Wreath Cookies, Christmas Cake Pops, Christmas Brownie Trifle, and this Easy Gingerbread Trifle!
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Easy Holiday Cake
Equipment
- 1 M Piping Tip
- 2 9 inch cake rounds
Ingredients
- Floured Cooking Spray like Baker's Joy
- 1 box white cake mix I used Pillsbury brand
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tbs vanilla
- 4 egg whites
- ½ cup Red and Green Jimmies optional
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 10 cups powdered sugar
- 10 tbs heavy cream
- 2 tbs clear imitation vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup Red and Green M&Ms or more if needed
- ¼ cup mini Red and Green M&Ms
- ¼ cup Holiday Sprinkle Mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prep your 9-inch cake rounds, spraying with Baker's Joy. Or spray with Pam and dust with flour.Floured Cooking Spray
- Mix together, either by hand or in a stand mixer, the oil, water, vanilla, egg whites. Then mix in the boxed cake mix, and lastly, gently fold inred and green jimmy sprinkles if using. Mix until just combined.1 box white cake mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 tbs vanilla, 4 egg whites, ½ cup Red and Green Jimmies, ¾ cup water
- Divide the batter between the two cake rounds.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Make sure to bake all the cakes on the same oven rack so they bake evenly.
- Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes then flip upside down onto a wire cooling rack and remove the pans. They should come out easily. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting
- Cream butter until fluffy, then alternate between mixing in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.2 cups unsalted butter, 10 cups powdered sugar, 10 tbs heavy cream
- Mix in the salt and vanilla and then whip on high for 30 seconds to add volume.2 tbs clear imitation vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt
Assemble and Decorate
- Scoop about 1 cup of frosting onto the top of the first layer of the cake and smooth into an even layer.
- Place the second cake layer on top.
- Pipe on the rosettes using the 1M piping tip, decorate the top with M&Ms and holiday sprinkles.¼ cup Red and Green M&Ms, ¼ cup Holiday Sprinkle Mix, ¼ cup mini Red and Green M&Ms
Notes
- Baking- Bake the cake rounds on the same oven rack for even baking.
- Cool- Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
- Storage- Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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