Tree Stump Cake (with Gingy) 💜🍄

Last weekend, I made this simple fairytale-ish tree stump cake to celebrate my birthday & the holidays at once! 🎄🍄 Won’t be able to bake for Christmas this year since I got ankle surgery yesterday, so Gingy (from Shrek) with his (fondant) candy cane is supposed to be me 😅

For the tree stump, any cake base that can be stacked can be used. I use Swiss (or Italian) buttercream for the decor, though this was my first time doing a tree cake & attempting to make mushrooms, haha.

Buttercream (may have extra – edited to add that my cake was 3 layers, 6-inch rounds):

• 🥚150 g egg whites (5 egg whites)
• 🤍300 g granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
• 🧈450 g unsalted butter, softened (1 lb, 2 cups, or 4 US sticks)
• 🧂Pinch of salt
• 🥃Vanilla (optional)
• 🤎Molasses
• 🍫About 80-100 g dark chocolate, cooled
• 🍫Cocoa powder
• 🌱Green food coloring (or matcha) for leaves
• 🍄Food coloring for mushroom tops (optional) — To make deep red frosting, I recommend starting with a light chocolate frosting and adding gel or powdered red food dye, like how one makes a red velvet cake.

1. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar in a double boiler over medium heat until it reaches 160F. Make sure to whisk constantly and vigorously to prevent the eggs from cooking.
2. Remove egg white mixture from the heat and beat with an electric or stand mixer until very voluminous and cooled down completely (should not feel warm to the touch).
3. Add in butter a little at a time, beating well in between each addition. *If the buttercream splits/curdles, continue to mix until it comes together (the frictional heat from the mixer will warm it up over time. You can also flash the bowl above the stove briefly). If it becomes soupy, refrigerate the buttercream for 30 minutes before continuing to whip.
4. Once all the butter is added and the buttercream comes together, mix in the salt and vanilla.

—

Assembly:

1. Fill and crumb coat your cake. Chill in the fridge.
2. Use a large circle tip and small parchment squares to create the domes for the tops of the mushrooms. Add sprinkles or small circles for the spots (optional). Refrigerate.
3. (Reserve some white buttercream for the mushroom stems and leaves. Set aside.)
4. Mix molasses into about 1/4 of your remaining buttercream until you reach a woody color. Add to the top of your cake and use a small offset spatula to create a swirl effect, holding the spatula angled in the center and moving it outwards as you turn the cake (you will need a turntable for this). Alternatively, you can use the tines of a fork to create a circular grain pattern.
5. Add the melted, cooled chocolate and cocoa powder to the remaining buttercream until desired color is reached. If the buttercream seems too soft, refrigerate for about 30 minutes and briefly mix before using.
6. Use a star tip (Wilton 1M or similar) to create the bark of the tree with the chocolate buttercream, starting from the bottom and piping up to the top edge. You can add small rosettes for tree knobs/knots. Alternatively, you can frost the entire sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream and use the tines of a fork to create vertical bark patterns.
7. Once the cake is covered in wood & bark, chill for 30 minutes to an hour to set. (Makes it easier to handle.)
8. Use a small leaf tip and green buttercream to pipe leaves and vines around the cake.
9. Use a large circle tip and white buttercream to add mushroom stems around the tree stump, and place the chilled mushroom tops on each stem. (I don’t know how to do this more efficiently, but maybe someone can advise in the comments!)

*You can also decorate the cake in sugared/candied rosemary and cranberries for another festive look!

*edited for formatting