Mini Christmas Cakes
Mini Christmas Cakes feel like funfetti all dressed up for the season. Made with soft, fluffy cake and a creamy buttercream frosting, they look adorable on a party table, they pack up great for gifting, and honestly, they’re just fun to put together. If you love colorful party cakes or easy holiday treats, these Christmas mini cakes are gonna be your jam.
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We made these for a cookie swap once, and honestly? They stole the show. Everyone thought they came from a bakery. But nope, just our humble kitchen and a round cookie cutter! They pack well, look charming on a holiday dessert table, and make fantastic edible gifts too.
If you are looking for more festive Christmas dessert recipes, you may enjoy this Christmas Sugar Cookie Cheesecake, No Bake Christmas Tree Cake Cheesecake, and Twix Christmas Trees.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold festive flair: Bright red & green sprinkles inside and out make it feel special for the holidays.
- Make‑ahead friendly: Bake the sheet cake in advance, then cut, stack and frost when you’ve got time.
- Crowd pleaser / gift‑pleaser: Individual mini cakes, perfect for parties, potlucks or cute treats to wrap up.
- Budget‑conscious & straightforward: No fancy molds or ingredients, just simple cake, buttercream and sprinkles.
Ingredients
Mini Christmas Cakes
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Medium bowl
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Electric Mixer
- circle cookie cutter
- piping bag
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup red and green sprinkles jimmies work best
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
- Add sour cream, then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Gently fold in sprinkles.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake 25–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- While cooling, prepare frosting: beat butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until fluffy.
- Once cake is cool, use a round cookie cutter (about 2–3 inches wide) to cut out circles. Stack 2 layers with frosting between each.
- Frost the top of each mini cake and decorate with holiday sprinkles.
Notes
- Use red & green jimmie sprinkles so colors stay bright (avoid ones that bleed).
- A 9×13 pan, parchment lining, and full cooling time are key.
- Stack same‑sized rounds for uniform mini cakes.
- For gifting: wrap each in a little box or clear bag with ribbon.
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3‑4 days.
- Make‑ahead: You can bake the sheet cake a day ahead, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate. Then cut and frost on the day of serving.
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Nutrition
Wendy’s Tips
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting and stacking. The warm cake will crumble, and the frosting might melt.
- Use jimmie‑sprinkles (long rod sprinkles) instead of non‑pareils because non‑pareils can bleed their color in the batter.
- If the frosting is too thick to spread easily, add a little more milk or cream (one teaspoon at a time) until you reach a good spreading consistency.
- When cutting rounds, press straight down (don’t twist) to keep edges clean. Save scraps for crumbling over ice cream later.
- For gifting, place a mini cake in a small box or mason jar with a decorative ribbon and keep refrigerated until gifting time.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes, however you will need to adjust the baking time according. A sheet pan or jelly roll pan will give you thinner yet more cakes.
I don’t recommend freezing after assembling, frosting and sprinkles may lose texture. You can freeze the cake rounds (unfrosted) wrapped tightly, then thaw and stack/frost just before serving.
Absolutely. For peppermint, add ½ tsp peppermint extract to the batter or frosting. For chocolate, you could fold in a few tablespoons of cocoa powder or use a chocolate buttercream.
