White Christmas Celebration Cake

With its soft spiced crumb, luscious cream cheese frosting and snow-dusted finish, this celebration cake is made for festive gatherings. It’s the perfect bake to bring a little Christmas magic to the table.

How long will it take?

1 ½ hours

What’s the serving size?

Serves 12

What do I need?

For the Cake

250 g unsalted butter, softened
220 g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
300 g self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
250 mL milk

For the Frosting

250 g cream cheese, softened
125 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
500 g icing sugar

To Decorate

80 g desiccated coconut
Small gingerbread houses
Gingerbread people
Icing sugar, for dusting

How do I make it?

Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease and line two 20-centimetre round cake tins.
Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together self-raising flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Fold flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
Divide evenly between the prepared tins and smooth the tops.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Assemble the cake by placing one cake on a serving plate.
Spread with one-third of the frosting.
Top with the second cake.
Spread another third of the frosting over the top and use the remaining frosting to lightly coat the sides, allowing some of the cake to remain visible for a rustic naked-cake effect.
Decorate by sprinkling the top generously with desiccated coconut to resemble snow. Arrange gingerbread houses on top and press the gingerbread people gently against the sides of the cake.
Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving.