Christmas Chocolate Traybake – Easy Christmas traybake cake

If you are looking for an easy Christmas chocolate traybake then you are in the right place. This Christmas I have created a beautifully easy chocolate sponge traybake cake topped with a rich and delicious chocolate cream cheese buttercream. It is the perfect base to add your favourite Christmas sprinkles and decorations.

A great cake to decorate with kids this Christmas too. This is an easy chocolate traybake recipe that will be a family favourite and made time and time again. I really hope you enjoy this easy chocolate traybake (chocolate sheet cake) for Christmas.

This Christmas chocolate traybake is possibly my most favourite recipe I have created this year. The chocolate traybake sponge is super chocolatey, light and moist. The chocolate cream cheese is super chocolatey but not too sweet. It’s an easy chocolate frosting to make and I’m sure you will love it as much as me. I would say this is the ultimate chocolate tray bake.

Old School Chocolate Traybake

This Christmas chocolate traybake reminds me of an Old School Chocolate Traybake. It’s simple and delicious. I remember having cakes like this as a child and loving them. A simple chocolate sponge topped with rich chocolatey buttercream that helps keep the cake moist and taste so good. I do have to admit I do remember old school traybakes which were really dry and not that appealing. Luckily this recipe is so far away from that.

For a Christmas traybake cake it is so easy to adapt for any occasion or event. Great for children’s parties or grown up dinner parties. All who eat it will enjoy it so much.

Easy Christmas Cake Traybake

This easy Christmas cake traybake is so easy and it gives amazing results each time if I do say so myself. It is the best basis chocolate cake which can be pimped up to make an Easy Christmas cake. It’s a yummy chocolate fudge traybake.

I have a few friends and family members who hate traiditonal Christmas cake and traditional cake but love and adore this cake. It’s so simple to make at Christmas which helps when you are also making a million other plates and dishes.

This chocolate traybake can be made a few days before you need it as it will last a good 3 days if kept in an air tight box. Keep it somewhere cool too but not in the fridge.

Although it can easily go under the category of old school chocolate traybake this bake is so much more. It’s the perfect chocolate sheet cake for a family event, it is brilliant to make and allow to kids to decorate with their favourite sweets or try and create a Christmas scene using sprinkles or edible Christmas decorations. It is a blank canvas of a cake and will allow you to decorate how you like.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is a simple chocolate sheet cake which can be made so easily so many events and parties. It reminds me of those delicious chocolate fudge trayabakes I had as a kid. The simple part of this chocolate sheet cake is the sponge cake. It’s moist and springy as it should be.

Even after a few days it still was moist and delicious. It is topped with a lovely thick smear of chocolate cream cheese buttercream. It’s super-rich and absolutely moreish. The mix of buttercream and cream cheese makes it less sugary so you aren’t hit with that sugar hit. It’s one of the reasons I love this cake so much – it’s chocolatey but not too sugary. It is a gorgeous chocolate fudge traybake you can make this Christmas.

How to make an easy chocolate traybake for Christmas

It is so easy to make an easy chocolate traybake for Christmas. This recipe is a simple way to make a traybake which is perfect for Christmas. I love it as I can make it ahead and decorate it ahead and bring it out for the family to enjoy. It’s easy to store in an air tight container and will last a few days – maybe 5 days at a push if you managed to not eat it all by then. You will find this recipe is for the ultimate Christmas chocolate traybake.

How do I make Christmas Chocolate Traybake? Step by step

Measure our the caster sugar and light brown soft sugar.

Measure out the unsalted butter

Cream together the sugars and butter until it’s light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and mix together. If it starts to curdle add a tablespoon of plain flour.

Measure out the cocoa powder, plain flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.

Give it a good mix until it’s all well combined.

Add in the milk and stir.

Add the cake mix into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Making the chocolate cream cheese buttercream

Measure out and add the butter and icing sugar to a bowl.

Whisk together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy.

Next, add the cream cheese and whisk until it starts to thicken.

Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.

Add the chocolate cream cheese buttercream to the cooled cake.

Smooth over the chocolate buttercream and your chocolate traybake cake is ready to decorate.

Christmas traybake ideas

This Christmas chocolate traybake is an easy one to make and I’ve kept it simple with some lovely gingerbread man sprinkles and some shimmery gold stars. There are so many ideas I have for how to decorate this Christmas traybake.

For children you can turn this chocolate fudge traybake cake into an artist master piece. Prepare the Christmas chocolate traybake with the chocolate cream cheese buttercream and allow them to create their own work of art with a range of Christmas sweets, Christmas candy, sprinkles and anything else you have to use.

Another Christmas traybake idea I have is to make this recipe and then cut it into a Christmas tree shape. From there it would be fun to decorate it as a Christmas tree. Plus you can eat the off cuts as you go. Absolutely no waste food here.

What about making this cake into a star shape?

What about making this Chocolate Sheet cake into a circle and making it in a Santa face cake.

There are so many options of what to do with this easy Christmas cake traybake.

What do I need to make this easy chocolate traybake for Christmas?

For the simple chocolate sponge part of this delicious easy chocolate traybake for Christmas you will need

• 380 g unsalted butter (or baking block like Stork). I prefer using stork baking block for this as it’s a soft baking butter which produces great results but regular unsalted butter will also work. Just make sure it’s soft and at room temperature when you start.
• 100 g light brown soft sugar gives the finished Christmas chocolate traybake a rich caramel flavour.
• 250 g caster sugar gives a sweetness to the mix.
• 4 medium eggs to bind the cake together.
• 350 g plain flour to bulk out the milk and combine everything together.
• 60 g cocoa powder for the chocolate flavour.
• 0.5 teaspoon baking powder to get the cake to rise.
• small pinch salt to bring out the flavour of the chocolate. It is a great tip and it really really works.

For the chocolate cream cheese buttercream to go on the easy christmas cake traybake you will need

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 150 g icing sugar
• 180 g cream cheese
• 75 g cocoa powder
• Christmas Sprinkles, Sweets or Candy

The Christmas traybake cake sponge is easy to make and you only need to cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the eggs. Sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Give it a really good stir. It really is that easy. Give this Christmas traybake cake a go!

Ultimate Chocolate Tray bake

When I say ultimate chocolate tray bake I mean it. It really is an ultimate chocolate tray bake. It’s a soft sponge which is moist and moreish. On top we have a smooth chocolate cream cheese buttercream. The finished chocolate Christmas cake isn’t too sweet but is chocolatey. The sweet chocolate cream cheese buttercream is rich but not too sugary which is lovely. I think it’s my favourite way to make buttercream at home.

How to make chocolate cream cheese buttercream

Chocolate cream cheese buttercream is so easy to make and with my recipe (scroll down) you can make this easy chocolate frosting too. It’s made with unsalted butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and cocoa powder.

The finished chocolate cream cheese buttercream is so smooth, rich and chocoaltey. It goes so well with this cake and you will be using it for so many of your cake needs going forward.

The cream cheese makes it a little soft so it moves over the cake easily. It is easy to smear over a chocolate sheet cake. It is so lovely to pipe over cupcakes as it will hold it’s shape.

I really hope you enjoy this easy Christmas traybake cake.

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Check out my other Christmas recipes you might enjoy this Christmas

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Christmas Chocolate Traybake

Sisley White

If you are looking for an easy Christmas chocolate traybake then you are in the right place. This Christmas I have created a beautifully easy chocolate sponge traybake cake topped with a rich and delicious chocolate cream cheese buttercream. My Christmas traybake cake will bring a smile to everyone you share it with. It is the perfect base to add your favourite Christmas sprinkles and decorations. A great cake to decorate with kids this Christmas too. This is an easy chocolate traybake recipe that will be a family favourite and made time and time again. I really hope you enjoy this easy chocolate traybake (chocolate sheet cake) for Christmas.

5 from 8 votes

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Decorating Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Course Bakes, Cakes, Party Food, Sweet Treats

Cuisine American, English, International

Servings 12 Large Slices

Calories 667 kcal

Equipment

• 9 inch x 12 inch cake tin
• greaseproof paper
• Mixing bowl x 2
• Wooden spoon
• weighing scales
• Electric whisk

Ingredients

 

UK (Metric)Convert to US Measures

 

1x2x3x

• 380 g unsalted butter (or baking block like Stork)
• 100 g light brown soft sugar
• 250 g caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 350 g plain flour / all purpose flour
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
• small pinch salt
• 150 ml semi skimmed milk

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

• 125 g unsalted butter
• 180 g icing sugar / confectioners sugar
• 180 g cream cheese
• 80 g cocoa powder
• Christmas Sprinkles, Sweets or Candy

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Grease and line a 9 inch by 12 inch traybake cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  
• Add the eggs and mix in.
  
• Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the salt in to the mixing bowl.
  
• Mix them in until well incorporated.
  
• Gently add in the milk. If it starts to separate add 1 tablespoon of plain flour.
  
• Pour the mix into the prepared tin and level out. Gently tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
  
• Bake fro 35-40 minutes until the centre of the cake is cooked – use a cake tester or skewer to check. If the tester comes out clean the cake is cooked. If it has pieces of uncooked cake on leave the cake to cook for a few minutes more and test again.
  
• Leave in the tin to cool for 30 minutes and then remove from the tin to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream

• Make sure the unsalted butter is at room temperature as it will help make it a lot easier to make.
• Using a hand mixer, mix the butter and icing sugar.
  
• Add the cream cheese and create a smooth mix.
  
• Sieve in the cocoa powder and mix in. If the mix is very thick add a splash of milk and mix again.
  
• Smear the chocolate cream cheese buttercream thickly over the cold cake.
  
• Decorate with your favourite Christmas sprinkes, candy and sweets.

Notes

•The cake will last for up to 5 days in an air tight container.

•Store somewhere cool but not the fridge.

•For the best results use the eggs and butter from room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 667kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 8gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 262mgFiber: 5gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 1332IUCalcium: 68mgIron: 3mg

Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Keyword bake, cake, Chocolate Cake, christmas chocolate traybake, christmas traybake, easy chocolate cake, easy chocolate christmas cake, easy chocolate traybake

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