Tree Stump Cake (Easy Woodland Christmas Cake)

Quick Summary: A tree stump cake, also called a tree trunk cake or woodland cake, is a vertical layer cake made from rolled chocolate sponge and whipped cream, frosted with chocolate ganache and textured to look like real tree bark. It is a showstopping Christmas dessert and a fun twist on the French Bûche de Noël.

What is a tree stump cake?

Tree stump cake, tree trunk cake, or gâteau souche d'arbre in French is a Christmas vertical layer cake made with rich buttercream or chocolate ganache and covered with chocolate bark.

Also known as woodland tree stump cake, it is decorated with meringue mushrooms, edible moss, sugared cranberries, rosemary sprigs, etc.

If you have made a Swiss roll cake in the past, you will succeed with this cake, too. It is just a giant Swiss cake roll made differently: this cake stands upright, revealing vertical layers when sliced. It is like a beautiful twist on a French Yule log or Bûche de Noël.

But how long does it take to make this cake? You can make it in one day or split the process over two days. Here is my easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorial.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
• Cake flour, store-bought or homemade.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: My favorite is from Valrhona.
• Sugar: You will need vanilla, granulated sugar, and icing sugar. Make icing sugar with a coffee grinder or purchase powdered (confectioners') sugar.
• Whole milk or low-fat milk.
• Butter: Use European-style unsalted butter with 82% fat. To make the sponge, melt it and cool it to room temperature. To make the chocolate frosting, use softened butter.
• Heavy or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.
• Condensed milk, store-bought or homemade sweetened condensed milk.
• Dark chocolate: Use top-quality dark chocolate, such as Valrhona or Scharffen Berger (70% cocoa). And please avoid chocolate chips to make chocolate ganache. This does not work!
• Decoration: Meringue mushrooms, chopped pistachios, edible moss, sugared cranberries, or rosemary sprigs.

How to make tree stump cake step-by-step

Step 1: Prepare a silicone 12 x 16 inch (30 x 40 cm) non-spill baking sheet or a large baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Step 2: To make a chocolate sponge cake, preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Mix cake flour and cocoa powder by sifting them into a large bowl, then set aside.

Step 3: Pour the milk into a small bowl and add the butter. Place the bowl over a larger container filled with hot water, and let the liquids reach 122-150°F (50-60°C) using a cooking thermometer to check.

Step 4: Place whole eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a heat-proof bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat a few times with a hand whisk.

Step 5: Bring the bowl over a bain-marie (water bath) and beat with a hand whisk until it reaches 104°F (40°C).

Step 6: Remove the bowl from the water bath, and whip the mixture until perfection in just 6-7 minutes using an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.

Step 7: Reduce the mixer speed once the batter triples in volume, turns whitish, and flows like a thick ribbon from the beaters. Whisk at the lowest speed for 2 minutes to adjust the batter's texture (photo 1).

Step 8: Sift the dry ingredients over the batter in the bowl, then gently mix with a silicone spatula. Start from the bottom, work your way up, and give the container a gentle counterclockwise turn.

Step 9: Take two tablespoons of the chocolate mixture and combine it with warm milk and butter in a bowl. Use a spatula to mix everything together.

Step 10: Return the mixture to the main preparation and mix thoroughly, starting at the bottom and working upwards (photo 2).

Step 11: Pour the cake batter into the silicone baking sheet (photo 3) from 8 inches (20 cm) above the pan to remove large air bubbles.

Pro tip: Alternatively, spread the batter onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm) rectangle with ½ inch (1 cm) thickness.

Step 12: Use a bent spatula or a dough scraper to smooth the surface, but do not overwork the same area.

Step 13: Place the baking pan in the oven and immediately lower the temperature from 390°F (200°C) to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 10-12 minutes (photo 4).

Pro tip: Do not overbake the cake. Check for doneness with a toothpick: it should come out dry.

Step 14: Remove the sponge cake from the oven, and while it is hot, flip it onto a clean tea towel dusted generously with icing (powdered) sugar.

Step 15: Carefully peel off the silicone baking sheet (photo 5) or parchment paper. Trim the cake edges on all sides with a long serrated knife, aiming for the thinnest edge possible. Cover the cake with a fresh piece of parchment paper.

Step 16: Roll the cake with parchment paper inside and a towel outside (photo 6), and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, unroll it and let the cake cool at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 17: To make the sweetened whipped cream, place all the cream ingredients in a cold mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until firm (photo 7).

Pro tip: Consult the Chantilly cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Step 18: To roll the cake, remove the parchment from the top of the cake. Cut it equally into four parts horizontally (along the cake's long edge) to obtain four strips of sponge cake. They will be approximately 2.8 x 14.5 inches (7 x 37 cm).

Step 19: Keep the strips close together. Spread the cream in an even layer over four cake strips using an offset spatula (photo 8).

Step 20: Start rolling the first strip with your hands, making a tight cake roll's core. Continue rolling and tighten the roll as you go (photo 9).

Step 21: Connect the short side of the roll to the short side of the second sponge strip, then roll. Firmly roll the cake, preventing the rolled cake and cream from protruding to one side.

Step 22: Carefully flip the cake roll upright and place it on a cake board or a serving platter. The spiral ends will become exposed at the top (photo 10).

Step 23: Take the next strip, the third cake layer, join it where the second strip is finished, and continue to roll. Tighten it and finish rolling the log cake with the fourth cake layer. Spread the protruding cream on top.

Step 24: To get a tidy vertical cake, use an acetate cake collar to cover the cake sides. Then, wrap the cake with a mousse ring to keep it in place. Adjust the ring for a secure fit (photo 11) and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Pro tip: Alternatively, simply cover the sides and the top of the rolled cake with plastic film to prevent it from drying. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 25: To decorate the tree stump cake, first make a chocolate ganache with butter. Chop a dark chocolate bar or use chocolate callets. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to crush the chocolate.

Step 26: Place the chopped chocolate in a small saucepan and heat over a water bath. Melt the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon. Allow the melted chocolate to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Step 27: Add softened butter, cut into medium-sized cubes, and whip with an electric mixer until creamy and homogeneous (photo 12).

Step 28: Take the rolled cake from the refrigerator, place it on a turntable, peel off the plastic wrap, or remove the cake ring and acetate collar. Spread the chocolate ganache over the cake.

Step 29: Use a small offset spatula to create a swirl while spinning the cake. Alternatively, use a fork or a toothpick to make lines resembling the tree's rings.

Step 30: Use a rubber spatula to evenly coat the sides of the cake, working from the bottom to the top. Try to mimic the tree bark, making it slightly higher than the tree rings.

Step 31: Use a small offset spatula or a fork to draw vertical lines around the cake to represent the tree's bark (photo 13).

Pro tip: Create a realistic tree bark effect on chocolate buttercream by attaching chocolate shards instead of using a fork or spatula. You need to stick the chocolate bark onto the chocolate frosting before it has fully set.

Step 32: Decorate the top and sides of the tree stump cake with meringue mushrooms, chopped pistachios, sugared cranberries, edible moss, rosemary sprigs, etc. (photo 14). Dust the cake with icing sugar or shredded coconut to give it a snow effect, and serve right away.

If serving the cake later, refrigerate it. However, bring it to room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving, so the chocolate ganache softens.

Expert Tips

1. Read about how to roll a cake to master the rolling technique.
2. If using a jelly roll pan, recalculate the recipe ingredients using this simple cake pan converter. You may need to make two sponge cakes to create the same cake, like in the recipe.
3. Cut the tree stump cake with a hot knife. This will yield a clean slice for each guest.
4. Make-ahead option: Make meringue mushrooms, frosted cranberries, edible moss, chocolate bark, etc., one or two days ahead. Bake, roll, and wrap the cake in plastic wrap, or place it in a mousse cake ring, and refrigerate overnight. On the day of serving, spread the chocolate ganache and add your decorative touches.

How to serve tree stump cake

Serve the tree stump cake as the centerpiece for a Christmas table or a woodland-themed celebration. If it has been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature for at least one hour before serving so the chocolate ganache softens and the flavors come through.

To slice, use a hot, sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts. This gives each guest a tidy slice that shows off the beautiful spiral layers inside. Cut the cake into thin slices, as it is rich, and pair it with coffee or tea to balance the sweetness.

Storing & freezing

Store the tree stump cake under a glass cake dome refrigerated for up to 1 day, but the fully assembled cake is best consumed on the day it is decorated.

To serve, bring the cake to the kitchen counter for at least 1 hour so the chocolate buttercream softens.

Can you freeze it? You can freeze an unfrosted cake wrapped in plastic for up to one month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then frost and decorate.

Tree stump cake decoration ideas

The decoration is what turns a simple chocolate cake into a magical woodland tree stump. Start with the bark: texture the ganache with a fork, or press on shards of set chocolate for a more realistic tree-trunk look. Draw a few concentric rings on top with a toothpick or offset spatula to suggest the growth rings of a cut tree.

From there, add woodland details to taste. Popular decorations include meringue mushrooms, edible moss, sugared cranberries, fresh rosemary sprigs, and chopped pistachios scattered like forest debris.

A dusting of icing sugar or shredded coconut gives the effect of freshly fallen snow, making the cake perfect for a Christmas or woodland-themed party.

Recipe variations

• Cake: If you are uncomfortable making a cake roll, you can create a woodland tree stump cake out of a simple chocolate sponge cake. Simply cut it into three layers, filling each with cream. Then, decorate the cake like a whimsical tree stump with fun decorations.

• Filling: Fill the cake roll with your favorite cream, such as Chantilly cream, chocolate whipped ganache, vanilla buttercream, or cream cheese filling.

• Frosting: Replace chocolate ganache with chocolate buttercream.

• Decoration: You can leave the top of the cake bare or cover it with chocolate ganache in the recipe.

Love Christmas desserts? Try these next!

The magical time of year brings an endless number of Christmas desserts, from Gingerbread mini men cookies to classic Buche de Noel.

• Christmas Pavlova Wreath
• Japanese Christmas Cake
• French Gingerbread Loaf
• Mandarin and Gingerbread Pavlova

Recipe FAQ

What is a tree stump cake?
A tree stump cake is a vertical layer cake made by rolling strips of chocolate sponge with whipped cream, standing them upright, and frosting the outside with chocolate ganache textured to look like tree bark. It is also called a tree trunk cake or woodland cake.

Why is it called a woodland cake?
Because it is decorated to look like a piece of forest. The chocolate bark mimics a real tree trunk and is topped with woodland touches, including meringue mushrooms, edible moss, sugared cranberries, and rosemary sprigs.

What is the difference between a tree stump cake and a Yule log?
Both are festive chocolate cakes, but a Yule log (Bûche de Noël) lies horizontally like a fallen branch, while a tree stump cake stands upright, revealing vertical spiral layers that resemble a cut tree trunk with visible growth rings.

How do you make the tree bark effect?
Spread chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream around the cake, then drag a fork or small offset spatula vertically to create bark-like grooves. For a more realistic look, press pieces of set chocolate bark onto the frosting before it firms up.

Can I make a tree stump cake ahead of time?
Yes. Make decorations, such as meringue mushrooms and chocolate bark, 1 or 2 days ahead, and bake, roll, and chill the cake overnight. Frost and decorate on the day you plan to serve it for the freshest result.

How far in advance can I make it, and how do I store it?
The fully assembled cake is best enjoyed on the day it is decorated, but it can be kept under a cake dome in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. You can also freeze the unfrosted rolled cake for up to one month, then thaw, frost, and decorate.

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.