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Winter Birch Tree Cake

Winter birch tree cake is a three-layer vanilla cake decorated with piped chocolate birch-bark markings. A fluffy buttercream crumb coat and delicate branching lines create its wintry finish.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 29 minutes
Cooling and chilling 50 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 4 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1130
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • nonstick cooking spray for greasing
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1.5 cups whole milk at room temperature
For the frosting
  • 2 cups unsalted butter softened
  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
For the decoration
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate chopped

Equipment

  • 3 8-inch round cake pan
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in three additions, whisking just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the pans.
  7. Bake for 24–29 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes.
  9. Turn the cakes onto wire racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely.
Make the frosting
  1. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until creamy.
  2. Beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed.
  3. Add the vanilla and heavy cream, then beat on medium-high for 2 minutes, until fluffy.
Assemble and decorate
  1. Level the cake layers if needed.
  2. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread about 1 cup frosting over it.
  3. Place a second layer on top and spread about 1 cup frosting over it.
  4. Place the third layer on top.
  5. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the top and sides to seal in crumbs.
  6. Chill the cake for 20–30 minutes, until the frosting is firm.
  7. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
  8. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring between bursts.
  9. Let the chocolate cool until thickened slightly but still pipeable.
  10. Transfer the chocolate to a small zip-top bag and snip a tiny corner.
  11. Pipe irregular vertical streaks and short horizontal marks on the sides to resemble birch bark, then add a few slender branching lines on top.
  12. Chill for 15 minutes to set.

Notes

For crisp birch-bark details, let the melted chocolate thicken slightly while keeping it pipeable before piping. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freeze yes, preferably in slices. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free butter and cream and a plant-based milk alternative.