Winter Wonderland Cake is a magical showstopper perfect for the holiday season. With fluffy vanilla cake layers, snowy white buttercream, and whimsical decorations like marshmallow snowmen and sugar cone Christmas trees, this cake is as fun to make as it is to eat. Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party, a winter birthday, or a festive family gathering, this snowy centerpiece will steal the show. The flavors are classic, the look is elegant and playful, and the process is surprisingly simple thanks to easy-to-find ingredients and step-by-step decorating instructions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- ❄️ Visually stunning – It’s a centerpiece cake with winter magic
- 🎂 Delicious vanilla cake base – Light, fluffy, and crowd-pleasing
- ⛄ Kid-friendly decorating – Make it a fun holiday activity
- 🎉 Perfect for parties – Feeds a group and looks amazing on any dessert table
- ❄️ Flexible design – Customize colors, flavors, or decorations
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk, room temp
For the Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temp
- 5–6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
- Sky blue or pastel blue gel food coloring (optional)
Decorations
- 3–4 sugar cones (for trees)
- White candy melts or royal icing
- White sanding sugar or shredded coconut
- Marshmallows (standard and mini for snowmen)
- Black decorating gel or edible marker
- Pretzel sticks, orange sprinkles (snowman arms/nose)
- Silver dragees or pearl sprinkles
Instructions
- Make the cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk. Mix until just combined. - Bake
Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake 25–28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks. - Prepare buttercream
Beat butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix in vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat until fluffy. Add blue food coloring if desired. - Assemble the cake
Level cake layers. Stack with buttercream between each layer. Crumb coat the cake and chill for 20 minutes. Apply a smooth final coat of frosting. - Decorate
Dip sugar cones in white melts or royal icing, then sprinkle with sugar for trees. Stack marshmallows with icing, then add faces with gel. Use pretzels and sprinkles for arms/noses. Decorate cake top with snowmen and trees. Add coconut “snow” around base and top.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Decorating Time: 30–45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12–14 slices
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving, Approx.)
Calories: 520
Fat: 28g
Carbohydrates: 65g
Sugar: 50g
Protein: 4g
Sodium: 180mg
Tips & Variations
- ❄️ Flavors: Add peppermint or almond extract for a festive twist
- 🌈 Colors: Tint the frosting pale blue or white with shimmer dust
- 🧁 Mini cakes: Make cupcakes and decorate each with a mini snowman
- 🎄 Make ahead: Bake cakes and freeze; assemble and decorate fresh
- 🧊 Extra décor: Use mini gingerbread men, snowflake sprinkles, or fondant accents
FAQs
Can I use a box mix for the cake?
Yes! A white or vanilla box mix works well—just follow the decoration steps.
Can this be made in advance?
Absolutely. Bake and freeze cake layers, or fully assemble and refrigerate (decorated) for up to 2 days.
What’s the best frosting for decorating?
American buttercream holds up best for piping and tree/stick-ons.
Do I need to use marshmallows for the snowmen?
They’re the easiest, but fondant works if you want more detailed faces.
Winter Wonderland Cake
Equipment
- – 8-inch cake pans
- – Electric mixer
- – Offset spatula
- – Piping bag (optional)
- – Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- #### Cake
- – 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- – 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- – ½ tsp salt
- – 1 cup unsalted butter
- – 1 ¾ cups sugar
- – 4 eggs
- – 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- – 1 cup whole milk
- #### Buttercream
- – 1 ½ cups butter
- – 5–6 cups powdered sugar
- – 1 tbsp vanilla
- – 2–3 tbsp cream or milk
- – Pinch of salt
- – Gel food coloring optional
- #### Decorations
- – Sugar cones
- – White candy melts or icing
- – Shredded coconut or sanding sugar
- – Marshmallows
- – Black gel or edible marker
- – Pretzels orange sprinkles
- – Silver pearls or dragees
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Alternate dry ingredients and milk.
- Divide batter into pans. Bake 25–28 mins. Cool completely.
- Beat butter, add powdered sugar, vanilla, cream. Color if desired.
- Stack and frost cake. Chill for clean finish.
- Decorate with marshmallow snowmen, sugar cone trees, and coconut snow.
Notes
– Let decorated cake sit at room temp 1 hour before serving.
– Use cake dowels for added support if stacking more than 3 layers.
Conclusion
Winter Wonderland Cake is more than just dessert—it’s a dazzling centerpiece that captures the spirit of the holidays. With its fluffy vanilla cake, snowy buttercream, and magical decorations, it’s guaranteed to bring joy to your table and smiles to everyone who sees (and tastes!) it. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or decorating with the kids, this cake is the perfect combination of fun, flavor, and festivity.