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Cream Tart Tree Cake

November 23, 2018 by Carrie Sellman

Cream Tart Tree Cake – shaped like a Christmas tree, this holiday version of the popular cream tart number cake has gingerbread cookies layered with cream cheese frosting and is topped with meringue kisses, chocolate, sprinkles and more gingerbread cookies!

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

We’re officially kicking off our holiday content! And it only seemed fitting that the most popular cake trend of 2018 make an appearance in our line up. The cream tart number cakes that took over Instagram and Pinterest this year are so pretty to look at and super fun to make. The original version of this cake is a layering of pâte sablée, a French pastry dough that is crisp and cookie-like (aka tart crust) topped with dollops of cream and decorated with a medley of fresh fruit, macarons, flowers, meringue kisses, candy and more.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

I wanted to put a festive spin on this layered dessert for the holiday season so I went with gingerbread for the cookie layers and a cream cheese frosting for the filling. On top are meringue kisses in all shapes, sizes and colors, M&M’s, sixlets, sprinkles and more gingerbread cookies for some added height. It all comes together for a playful yet merry dessert perfect for a Christmas party! Follow my lead with the pink and green color combination or keep it classic with red and green. Whatever shades you choose, start with the candy and sprinkles and let them determine the hue for the decorations you make at home.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

This type of cake is definitely a “more is more” style! If you’re like me and tend to lean towards a “less is more” philosophy… you’ll really have to challenge yourself to keep adding items to this cake. I stopped several times and then forced myself to go back and add more. Even though I hesitated, I’m really glad that I went for MORE because the end result looked much better.  Have fun and let me know if you give this tutorial a try!

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

 

 

CREAM TART TREE CAKE
a tutorial by Carrie Sellman

Supplies:

  • Your favorite gingerbread cookie dough (I used this recipe)
  • Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)
  • Tree Template (download here – save then print)
  • Rolling Pin
  • Parchment Paper
  • Baking Tray
  • Knife
  • Mini Cookie Cutters
  • Piping Bags
  • Piping Tip 1A or Tip 806
  • Meringue Kisses
  • Green M&Ms
  • Pink Sixlets
  • Pink and Green Diamond Sprinkles

Prepare gingerbread cookie dough, divide into three portions, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Print out tree template (download here – save then print) and cut out. Once dough is chilled, roll out one portion of dough to be 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick on a piece of parchment paper.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Dust dough with additional flour so that the tree template does not stick. Place tree template onto dough and cut around it with a sharp knife.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Remove template and remove dough scraps leaving your cutout tree behind. Save scraps for reuse later. Dust excess flour off of tree. Bake tree at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let cookie cool on the baking sheet until it is set. Remove the entire sheet of parchment paper and let cookie cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough to make three trees in total.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Roll out excess dough and cut out 7 or more cookies using the mini cookie cutters. Bake at 350F for 8-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool. NOTE: I used 4 of these cookies as garnish in my final cake but it’s always good to have extra to allow for changes and/or breakage.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

While cookies are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting:

  • 12 ounces unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cold
  • 4 ounces salted butter, slightly softened but still cold
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, block style like Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 6-7 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  1. In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well combined.
  2. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
  3. Add vanilla and heavy cream and mix until combined. Mix on low several minutes until fluffy and light.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip like an 806. Gather all of your toppings for assembly. I used meringue kisses (in various shapes, sizes and colors), green M&M’s, pink sixlets, pink and green sprinkles.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Lay one cookie flat onto serving board or parchment paper. Pipe dollops of frosting all over the cookie to completely cover it.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Layer a second cookie on top. Then pipe dollops of frosting all over the cookie to completely cover it again.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Repeat with the third layer of cookie and frosting.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Decorate the tree starting with your largest pieces. I started with my gingerbread cookies as anchors, with the star at top, followed by the reindeer and gingerbread men.

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Add your remaining toppings working from biggest to smallest. This is where it really starts to get fun! Let your creativity shine and place items as it looks right to your eye. I chose to group smaller items together so that they would form one solid pop of color as a collective group (for example, a small cluster of pink sixlets together and another small cluster of green sprinkles together, etc.) I personally liked this look better than the small items scattered everywhere. But you do what works for you!

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

I can’t wait to see what you do with this idea! If you make a Cream Tart Tree Cake, be sure to share it with us. Tag @thecakeblog on Instagram or use #thecakeblog. Or if you’re more of a Pinterest person, upload your photo onto our pin. Happy holiday baking everyone!

Cream Tart Tree Cake - gingerbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and festive holiday toppings | by Carrie Sellman for TheCakeBlog.com

 


 

MORE CHRISTMAS PROJECTS TO TRY:
  • Decorated Sugar Cookies with Christmas Trees
  • Birch Log Cake
  • Mini Ornament Cakes
  • Winter Hat Cake
  • 10 Cream Tart Number Cakes

November 23, 2018 by Carrie Sellman

Carrie Sellman , Founder & Editor

Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine, Country Living Magazine and featured online at People, Today, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Redbook, Real Simple, TLC, The Cooking Channel and more.

connect with Carrie :

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Comments

  1. Amber says

    November 23, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    So pretty! I want to try this. I have always wondered how these are cut? I would think they would crumble and not slice very well….

    • Heather Smoke says

      November 23, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      I’ve always wondered the same thing! So pretty, but difficult to cut and serve. Unless the cookies soften up from all the cream filling, like an icebox cake?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      November 24, 2018 at 10:47 am

      I stored the finished cake in the fridge because the cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated. The cookies softened just a tad and the icing firms up some (but does not become rock hard like Swiss meringue buttercream). Afterwards, it sliced just fine. Just use a sharp knife and a little pressure. Enjoy!

  2. Lydia says

    November 23, 2018 at 10:33 pm

    I’m guessing you would decorate it on the day and refrigerate until just before serving?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      November 24, 2018 at 10:48 am

      Yes, this should be kept in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting. It held up nicely for several days.

  3. María says

    November 26, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    Hello. Thanks for sharing. For how many people it is? Sorry my english , i’m from latinamerica

    • Carrie Sellman says

      November 28, 2018 at 9:58 am

      This will serve about 12, depending on how generous you like your portions. 🙂

  4. Jessy says

    November 28, 2018 at 1:30 am

    Hello I love the idea of the gingerbread dough but do u think it can be assembeled one day before and kept in fridge? Or better same day? Thank you in advance❤️

    • Carrie Sellman says

      November 28, 2018 at 9:59 am

      Yes, you can make this in advance. I kept this one in the refrigerator for several days and it was just fine.

  5. Alice Messina says

    December 1, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    Your cake is so pretty and cheerful, perfect for the holidays! Where did you purchase the cookie cutters that you used for the cake? The link you provided did not include the reindeer. Thank you!

    • Carrie Sellman says

      December 3, 2018 at 10:54 am

      My cookie cutters were a gift I received almost 10 years ago! The link provided is the newer version of the set I own but unfortunately does not include the reindeer. But the gingerbread man is the same and the other cutter are the right size, even if they’re different shapes.

  6. Jenn Moore says

    December 5, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    Made this over the weekend and was a Hugh success! Loved the instructions and recipe, very easy to follow. Thank you for your post

    • Carrie Sellman says

      December 7, 2018 at 5:31 pm

      That’s so great to hear! Glad you enjoyed it Jenn! And thank you for your feedback. 💕

  7. Sony says

    December 10, 2018 at 5:57 am

    Wow, wonderful idea. perfect cake Christmas celebration.

  8. Keyani says

    December 11, 2018 at 12:12 am

    Hi! I LOVE this!!! did you make one batch of the gingerbread recipe you linked to get all 3 gingerbread trees? Thanks!

    • Carrie Sellman says

      December 11, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Yes, one batch was more than enough to make all 3 trees and the small cookies on top.

  9. Shellie Andrews says

    December 28, 2018 at 6:52 am

    I made this for Christmas Day dessert. It was a big hit and looked spectacular but was surprisingly easy to make.

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