Tree Stump Cake: the impressive, delicious dessert recipe you’ll love

Looking for the perfect birthday cake for a nature lover? Then look no further than this tree stump cake. What is a tree stump cake, you ask? Well, it’s like a vertical layered yule log. It’s the perfect dessert recipe for the winter holidays.

It looks like a lot of work, but with our tips, you’ll have a beautiful tree stump cake in no time! This cake is a showstopper. It looks like a real tree stump, but when you cut into it, you reveal a soft, moist cake with beautiful layers.

With a few simple cake ingredients, you can easily make this cake. Bake a Swiss roll, and decorate it with hazelnut cream and whipped cream.

Tree Stump Cake Ingredients

Chocolate – use any melting chocolate.

Milk – use full-fat.

Eggs – use large eggs.

Flour – use all-purpose flour, not cake flour.

Cocoa powder – use plain cocoa powder.

Sugar – granulated sugar.

Whipping cream – use full-fat.

Hazelnut paste – use a hazelnut spread like Nutella.

How To Make Tree Stump Cake

Start by making the sponge cake. When pouring the cake batter into the pan, line the pan first with parchment paper—this will make it easier to roll when assembling the cake. Now make the filling and decoration. Do this by whipping the cream. Mix some of this whipped cream into the hazelnut paste.

Once the cake has cooled slightly, you can spread the filling, making sure to cover the entire surface. Cool the cake just enough to add the filling. After the cake is rolled completely, you can leave it to cool. Once the cake has cooled completely, it’s time to frost the cake.

How To Decorate Tree Stump Cake

Use the whipped cream and hazelnut paste to create a bark effect. Useful tools for this are a piping bag, a spatula, and a fork. Use the fork to create bark impressions.

Tips

To make a birch bark effect, use fondant.

Don’t overbake the cake. This will cause it to crack when you roll it. The cake is ready to remove from the oven if it springs back after you poke it with your fingers.

Roll the cake while it’s warm. A warm cake will be more pliable and will be less likely to crack.

Flavor variations: You can use cream cheese or mascarpone cheese as a filling instead of whipped cream. You can also try fruit-flavored fruit cream or marshmallow fluff.

How To Store Tree Stump Cake

Store leftover cake in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Instructions

Microwave chocolate with milk and vegetable oil until melted.

Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale.

Mix in melted chocolate mixture.

Sift the cocoa, flour, and baking powder into the yolk and chocolate mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into the batter carefully.

Pour the batter onto a parchment-covered baking sheet and bake at 165C/330F for 12-13 minutes.

Trim uneven edges with the bread knife and cut the cake into 3 strips.

Cover each strip with whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Roll the first strip of cake.

Place the roll on another strip of cake, and roll it up inside of that strip.

Repeat the process with the final strip to create a large tree stump.

Flip the trunk over, spread some of the cream on top, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Save some whipped cream in a piping bag. Combine leftover whipped cream with hazelnut cream. Pipe swirls onto the cake.

Level it.

Pipe the hazelnut cream around the cake to create a “trunk” then use a spatula to smooth it.

Then use a fork to decorate it.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

You can use cake mix for the sponge if you’re in a pinch!