Simply the cutest Christmas cake you can make – with no crazy cake decorating skills or equipment needed! This Reindeer Cake looks like it came from a bakery, but it’s shockingly simple to make – as long as you’re willing to take your time.

Christmas Reindeer Cake Recipe

It is finnnaallly the most wonderful time of the year, so you know this blog is going to be jam-packed with all things Christmas, starting with today’s epic cake recipe!

This uber cute reindeer cake takes it’s inspiration from the unicorn cake trend (still going strong), with it’s flowing frosting mane, cute kawaii-style eyes, and mixture of fondant and frosting decorations.

Whether you are entertaining this year, or just serving this cute Christmas cake to the kids, everyone is going to go crazy for it! Be warned though: you may now be on the hook for all future cute cake requests!

I’m not a huge fan of fondant, so if you’d like to skip that, you can potentially use melted chocolate or candy melts to make the fondant decorations, however you won’t get that curve on the reindeer’s ears without a bit of effort. I personally don’t mind adding a few fondant (or gum paste) touches, as long as the majority of the cake is covered in delicious, homemade buttercream.

I did take it easy on myself with boxed cake mix, but I draw the line at canned frosting. There is nothing in a jar or can that compares to the taste of homemade buttercream! My recipe is incredibly simple and definitely worth the extra two minutes of effort it will take you to make your frosting from scratch.

(However, if you want to just make the chocolate frosting from scratch and purchase the red, green, black and white frostings, I don’t blame you!)

There is a little bit of piping work that goes into this cake – all of the techniques are simple, with the piping tips doing most of the work for you. If you even make two cakes or cupcakes a year, I highly recommend purchasing a basic piping set like this one – you won’t believe how easy it is to pipe gorgeous decorations yourself using the right equipment!

(For just a bit more, this starter cake decorating set is a crazy good deal – basically everything you will ever need for cake or cupcake decorating is in here!)

You will also need to grab your chosen set of reindeer antler cut-outs – pick the set that most appeals to you and print before starting this recipe.

Reindeer Cake Ingredients

French vanilla cake mix
- Plus ingredients called for on the box
Red and Green food coloring <– this set of food coloring has lasted me forever and I love that it creates highly saturated colors with just a drop

Chocolate Frosting ingredients

Unsalted Butter, softened
Cream Cheese, softened
Cocoa Powder
Powdered Icing Sugar
Heavy whipping cream, as needed <– can use milk or half and half cream

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter
Powdered Icing Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Milk or Cream, as needed

For the Decorations:

Ghirardelli white chocolate melting chips <– can use almond bark
Chocolate fondant
White fondant
Red fondant
Gold edible mist spray
Powdered icing sugar, as needed
White sugar crystal sprinkles

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Note: swap out our boxed marbled cake for your choice of cake. You can also use melted chocolate or candy melts in place of the fondant decorations.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

Large ice cream scooper
Piping bags, medium star tip, leaf tip <– a basic piping set will have everything you need
Measuring cups and spoons
Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
Large mixing bowl
Three 9″ round cake pans
1 cake leveler
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Antler template
Mini circle cookie cutter
Fondant roller <– can use a rolling pin
Cutting board
10″ round cake board, optional
Heart cookie cutters <– you will need a medium-sized heart cutter and a small heart cutter

How to Make a Chocolate Reindeer Cake

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Spray the cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

Follow the directions on the cake box to prepare the cake batter, then divide the batter into two bowls.

Mix in a few drops of red gel food coloring into 1 bowl of cake batter and mix until combined. Keep in mind that the finished cake won’t be as vibrant as the batter, so make the batter more saturated than you want your final cake to be.

Repeat with the green food dye and second bowl of cake batter.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop some red or green cake batter into the pans.

Alternate with the red and green cake batters between the three cake pans.

Bake the cakes according to the package directions or until a toothpick comes out clean

Allow cakes to cool completely before placing the cake rounds onto a cookie sheet and using the cake leveler to remove the domes of the cake to make it even

How to Make White Chocolate Snowflakes

Line a cookie sheet or cutting board with parchment paper.

Melt 1 cup of the white chocolate chips in a microwave on 30 second increments, stirring well in between each reheating to ensure even melting.

Scoop the melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag and cut a small amount of the tip off to make a small, narrow hole.

Pipe out about 10 thick snowflakes in different sizes onto the parchment paper.

Allow to dry overnight, or at least 4 hours.

Reindeer Ears:

Lightly dust a cutting board with powdered icing sugar.

Roll out the chocolate fondant onto prepared cutting board and use a medium-sized heart cookie cutter to cut out two medium hearts.

Set them aside.

Roll out the white fondant and use the smaller heart cookie cutter to cut out two small white hearts.

Place the white hearts onto paper towels and spray with edible gold spray

Allow to dry for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Lightly dip your finger into water and dab the back of the gold heart, then place the gold hearts onto the chocolate hearts.

Allow to dry.

(You can also curve the ears slightly and let them dry on a piece of parchment paper set inside of an open cookbook.)

For the Reindeer Antlers:

Lightly dust a cutting board with powdered icing sugar.

Roll out the chocolate fondant onto prepared cutting board.

Cut out the antlers using the printed antler template as a guide. (You can cut out the shapes and just trace along them with a knife.)

Allow to dry for 2 hours

Melt the remaining white chocolate and then scoop into the piping bag.

Cut the tip off and pipe snow drips onto the antler ears

Sprinkle some white sugar crystals onto the white chocolate and then lightly blow off excess sprinkles.

Allow to dry overnight, or at least 4 hours.

For the Reindeer Nose:

Mold the red fondant into a ½ inch disk

Use the cookie cutter and cut a circle out of the red

Allow to dry.

Cake Assembly:

Using your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.

Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, followed by the powdered icing sugar. Combine for two minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream.

You want a smooth, fluffy frosting that holds a soft peak, but isn’t too stiff (or else it will rip up the cake and be too hard to pipe). Adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more powdered icing sugar (stiffer) or whipping cream (softer).

Scoop 1 cup of frosting into the large piping bag. Set aside.

Scoop about 1 cup of chocolate frosting onto the first layer of the cake and smooth out evenly, using an offset spatula.

Place another layer of cake on top and repeat this step.

Place the last layer on top and frost the remaining cake with remaining frosting

Using the large piping bag, swirl dollops of frosting onto the top of the cake and down the side for the reindeer’s mane.

(To do this, hold the piping bag firmly and make small circles with your wrist. When you are done a swirl of frosting, jerk your hand up to stop the flow of frosting.)

Secure the fondant ears on the top of the cake and place the antlers behind.

To make the vanilla frosting, use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients except for the milk/cream for 1 minute. Adjust the consistency with the milk, until soft enough to pipe but not too stiff.

Divide the vanilla frosting into four bowls. Dye one bowl black, one bowl red, one bowl green, and one bowl white.

Scoop each bowl of frosting into it’s own individual piping bag. Scoop the green frosting into a piping bag with a leaf tip – the others can just have the tips snipped off or you can use a round tip.

Using the black cake frosting, pipe the eyes onto the front of the cake

Pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back of the red circle and place in the center of the cake for the nose

Carefully remove the white chocolate snowflakes and randomly place all over the “Hair”

Using the red and green cake frosting, pipe “Holly” around for decorations. (The leafs are formed with a simple flick of the wrist.)

Pipe white dots around the hair for snow.

Sprinkle some white crystal sprinkles around the cake for some added sparkle.

Cut and enjoy!

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Yield: 1 9" 3 tiered cake, 12 servings

How to Make a Reindeer Cake

Name: How to Make a Reindeer Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Cake
Ingredients: 2 Boxes of french vanilla cake mix; 6 large eggs; 2 cups water; 1 cup canola oil; Red and green gel food coloring; 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 8oz cream cheese, softened (1 package); 1 1/2 cups Hershey special dark cocoa powder; 7 cups powdered icing sugar; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (35%); 1/2 cup butter; 2 cup powdered icing sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Milk or cream, as needed; 1 1/2 cups Ghirardelli white chocolate melting chips (can use almond bark); 1 box of Chocolate fondant; 1 box of white fondant; 1 tube red fondant; Gold edible mist spray; Powdered icing sugar, as needed (no more than 1 cup); 1 container of white sugar crystal sprinkles

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 Boxes of french vanilla cake mix
6 large eggs
2 cups water
1 cup canola oil
Red and green gel food coloring

For the Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8oz cream cheese, softened (1 package)
1 1/2 cups Hershey special dark cocoa powder
7 cups powdered icing sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (35%)

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 cup powdered icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk or cream, as needed

For the Decorations

1 1/2 cups Ghirardelli white chocolate melting chips (can use almond bark)
1 box of Chocolate fondant
1 box of white fondant
1 tube red fondant
Gold edible mist spray
Powdered icing sugar, as needed (no more than 1 cup)
1 container of white sugar crystal sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Spray the cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
Follow the directions on the cake box to prepare the cake batter, then divide the batter into two bowls.
Mix in a few drops of red gel food coloring into 1 bowl of cake batter and mix until combined. Keep in mind that the finished cake won't be as vibrant as the batter, so make the batter more saturated than you want your final cake to be.
Repeat with the green food dye and second bowl of cake batter.
Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop some red or green cake batter into the pans.
Alternate with the red and green cake batters between the three cake pans.
Bake the cakes according to the package directions or until a toothpick comes out clean
Allow cakes to cool completely before placing the cake rounds onto a cookie sheet and using the cake leveler to remove the domes of the cake to make it even

How to Make White Chocolate Snowflakes

Line a cookie sheet or cutting board with parchment paper.
Melt 1 cup of the white chocolate chips in a microwave on 30 second increments, stirring well in between each reheating to ensure even melting.
Scoop the melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag and cut a small amount of the tip off to make a small, narrow hole.
Pipe out about 10 thick snowflakes in different sizes onto the parchment paper.
Allow to dry overnight, or at least 4 hours.

For the Reindeer Ears:

Lightly dust a cutting board with powdered icing sugar.
Roll out the chocolate fondant onto prepared cutting board and use a medium-sized heart cookie cutter to cut out two medium hearts.
Set them aside.
Roll out the white fondant and use the smaller heart cookie cutter to cut out two small white hearts.
Place the white hearts onto paper towels and spray with edible gold spray
Allow to dry for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Lightly dip your finger into water and dab the back of the gold heart, then place the gold hearts onto the chocolate hearts.
Allow to dry.
(You can also curve the ears slightly and let them dry on a piece of parchment paper set inside of an open cookbook.)

For the Reindeer Antlers:

Lightly dust a cutting board with powdered icing sugar.
Roll out the chocolate fondant onto prepared cutting board.
Cut out the antlers using the printed antler template as a guide. (You can cut out the shapes and just trace along them with a knife.)
Allow to dry for 2 hours
Melt the remaining white chocolate and then scoop into the piping bag.
Cut the tip off and pipe snow drips onto the antler ears
Sprinkle some white sugar crystals onto the white chocolate and then lightly blow off excess sprinkles.
Allow to dry overnight, or at least 4 hours.

For the Reindeer Nose:

Mold the red fondant into a ½ inch disk
Use the cookie cutter and cut a circle out of the red
Allow to dry.

Cake Assembly:

Using your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, followed by the powdered icing sugar. Combine for two minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream.
You want a smooth, fluffy frosting that holds a soft peak, but isn't too stiff (or else it will rip up the cake and be too hard to pipe). Adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more powdered icing sugar (stiffer) or whipping cream (softer).
Scoop 1 cup of frosting into the large piping bag. Set aside.
Scoop about 1 cup of chocolate frosting onto the first layer of the cake and smooth out evenly, using an offset spatula.
Place another layer of cake on top and repeat this step.
Place the last layer on top and frost the remaining cake with remaining frosting
Using the large piping bag, swirl dollops of frosting onto the top of the cake and down the side for the reindeer's mane.
(To do this, hold the piping bag firmly and make small circles with your wrist. When you are done a swirl of frosting, jerk your hand up to stop the flow of frosting.)
Secure the fondant ears on the top of the cake and place the antlers behind.
To make the vanilla frosting, use an electric mixer to combine all ingredients except for the milk/cream for 1 minute. Adjust the consistency with the milk, until soft enough to pipe but not too stiff.
Divide the vanilla frosting into four bowls. Dye one bowl black, one bowl red, one bowl green, and one bowl white.
Scoop each bowl of frosting into it's own individual piping bag. Scoop the green frosting into a piping bag with a leaf tip - the others can just have the tips snipped off or you can use a round tip.
Using the black cake frosting, pipe the eyes onto the front of the cake
Pipe a medium size dot of frosting onto the back of the red circle and place in the center of the cake for the nose
Carefully remove the white chocolate snowflakes and randomly place all over the “Hair”
Using the red and green cake frosting, pipe “Holly” around for decorations. (The leafs are formed with a simple flick of the wrist.)
Pipe white dots around the hair for snow.
Sprinkle some white crystal sprinkles around the cake for some added sparkle.
Cut and enjoy!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 685Total Fat: 83gSaturated Fat: 40gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 526mgCarbohydrates: 178gFiber: 5gSugar: 149gProtein: 11g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

This super cute Rudolph Cake takes a bit of time to put together (plan for 3-4 hours if you aren’t an experienced cake decorator) but it’s well worth it! Your family and friends won’t believe that it didn’t come from a bakery!

For more delicious Christmas cake ideas, check out:

How to Make a Reindeer Cake