Winter Wonderland Cake

Winter Wonderland Cake is the perfect holiday showstopper—snowy, festive, and bursting with whimsical charm. This cake is a dreamy blend of fluffy vanilla layers, smooth buttercream, marshmallow snowmen, and sparkling sugar cone trees. It’s more than dessert—it’s edible art that captures the joy of winter in every frosted detail.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultimate holiday centerpiece for Christmas or winter parties
• Make-ahead friendly—components can be prepped in advance
• Fun for all ages—perfect baking project for kids and adults
• Beautiful and customizable—use your favorite winter colors
• From-scratch cake and frosting that taste as good as they look

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake Layers

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ cups unsalted butter, room temp
• 2¼ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1½ cups buttermilk, room temp

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup hi-ratio shortening (or more butter)
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 8 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• Sky Blue gel food coloring

Snow Glaze Drip

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp milk
• White sanding sugar

Marshmallow Snowmen

• Regular marshmallows
• Wooden skewers or lollipop sticks
• Royal icing
• Mini Reese’s Cups or Rolo candies
• Chocolate coins
• Black, orange, and blue gel food coloring
• Toothpicks
• Pull-apart Twizzlers

Sugar Cone Christmas Trees

• Large/small sugar cones (some cut in half)
• 3 cups vanilla frosting
• White and blue sanding sugar
• Blue gel food coloring
• Snowflake sprinkles
• White nonpareils
• Sugar pearls

Decor & Assembly

• White sparkling sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Shredded coconut
• White and blue pearlized gumballs or sixlets

Instructions

1. Bake the Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch pans with parchment and grease the sides. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk in batches, starting and ending with dry. Divide evenly into pans. Bake 25–30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to racks.

2. Make the Buttercream
Beat butter, shortening, and salt on medium speed for 5–6 minutes. Add half the powdered sugar gradually. Mix in cream, vanilla, and almond extract. Add remaining sugar. Whip on high 5–7 minutes until fluffy. Tint a portion light blue, leaving streaks of white.

3. Assemble the Marshmallow Snowmen
Skewer 3 marshmallows. Use royal icing to glue a mini Reese’s onto a chocolate coin, forming a hat. Attach hat to the top marshmallow. Use toothpicks dipped in gel food coloring to dot on eyes, buttons, and a carrot nose. Wrap a Twizzler scarf around the snowman.

4. Decorate the Sugar Cone Trees
Cover cones in white or blue frosting using a small star piping tip (Wilton 21 or 22). Optionally, roll a frosted cone in sparkling sugar. Decorate with sprinkles, nonpareils, and pearls.

5. Make the Snow Drip
Mix milk with powdered sugar to form a pourable glaze. Transfer to a piping bag.

6. Build the Cake
Place a cake layer on a stand. Spread ~1 cup buttercream on top. Repeat with remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat. Chill for 30 minutes. Frost cake with blue/white buttercream blend. Smooth sides and top. Drizzle snow glaze over the edges and top. Sprinkle sanding sugar and other decorations.

7. Final Assembly
Place sugar cone trees on top of the cake. Insert snowmen standing up. Dust entire cake with powdered sugar for a snowfall effect. Surround base with shredded coconut and pearlized gumballs for a wintery finish.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Bake Time: 30 minutes
• Decorating Time: 1–2 hours
• Total Time: 3–4 hours
• Servings: 12–16 slices
• Skill Level: Advanced
• Theme: Winter, Holiday, Christmas

Nutrition Facts (Per Slice – Approximate)

• Calories: 650
• Fat: 34g
• Sugar: 58g
• Carbs: 78g
• Protein: 5g
• Sodium: 190mg

Tips & Variations

• Make ahead: Cake layers, snowmen, and trees can be made 1–2 days in advance
• Customize colors: Use silver or gold accents for a glam theme
• Want a shortcut? Use box cake mix and pre-made frosting
• Flavor twist: Add peppermint extract to the buttercream
• Keep decorations secure: Chill the cake before adding tall pieces like trees

FAQs

Can I freeze the cake layers?
Yes, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp before decorating.

What can I use instead of shortening?
You can substitute with more butter for a richer taste, but shortening provides structure and stability.

How do I transport this cake?
Chill thoroughly, use a cake box, and secure decorations separately if needed.

Can I use store-bought frosting?
Yes, especially for the trees, but homemade buttercream will yield the best taste and texture.

Conclusion

Winter Wonderland Cake is more than a dessert—it’s a festive centerpiece that brings joy, sparkle, and sweet memories to your holiday celebrations. With fluffy vanilla cake, stunning decorations, and creative flair, it’s the kind of dessert guests talk about long after the party ends.