Step 1

Prepare the recipe for Vanilla Sheet Cake or Chocolate Sheet Cake as instructed. Cool completely.

Step 2

Turn the cake out onto a baking sheet or large serving platter.

Step 3

Prepare 1/2 the recipe for Chocolate Buttercream as instructed.

Step 4

Frost the cake all over with the chocolate buttercream, smoothing out the top the best you can. Make sure to reserve 1/2 cup of the chocolate buttercream to use for decorating.

Step 5

Refrigerate the cake for several hours, until the chocolate buttercream is firm and cold.

Step 6

Prepare 2x the recipe for Perfect American Vanilla Buttercream as instructed. Use half butter / half shortening for a whiter color.

Step 7

Use the Super Red gel food coloring to color 1/2 cup of the vanilla buttercream a deep red.

Step 8

Use the Super Black, Forest Green, Electric Green, Turquoise, and Leaf Green gel food coloring to color 1 1/4 cups of the vanilla buttercream a deep green. I start with a small drop of each color, then continue to add more of each until achieving the shade of green I want.

Step 9

Leave the rest of the vanilla buttercream white.

Step 10

Fit a piping bag with a coupler and one of the small round tips, like #3 or # Fill with chocolate buttercream.

Step 11

In the lower left corner of the cake, pipe the outline for the fireplace, then fill in the outline. Lightly dab a small amount of the red and white buttercream on top of the brown, then use a palette knife to smooth it out.

Step 12

Drag a toothpick through the buttercream to create the brick pattern.

Step 13

Add a few drops of Super Black gel food coloring to a small amount of the chocolate buttercream. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and one of the small round tips, like #3 or # Fill with the black buttercream.

Step 14

Pipe the mantle above the bricks, and fill in the center of the fireplace. Use a palette knife to smooth out the black buttercream.

Step 15

Add a few drops of Electric Yellow gel food coloring to a small amount of the red buttercream, to make it more orange. Use a palette knife to paint some orange flames in the center of the fireplace.

Step 16

Use a palette knife to paint some chocolate brown logs over the flames.

Step 17

Sprinkle a little black sanding sugar around the logs to resemble coals and ashes.

Step 18

Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a small round tip, and fill with the red buttercream.

Step 19

Pipe the outline of the stockings, then fill in the stockings and smooth the buttercream with a palette knife.

Step 20

Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a small round tip, and fill with white buttercream. Pipe some fluffy swirls on the top edge of the stockings, then pipe a small loop for them to hang on the mantle.

Step 21

Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a small star tip, such as #18, and fill with green buttercream. Pipe a wreath above the fireplace.

Step 22

If you have long gold sprinkle rods, you can use them to make candles sitting on the mantle. Use a palette knife to paint a small orange flame above each candle.

Step 23

Pipe some garland on the mantle, then decorate the wreath and garland with sprinkle ornaments.

Step 24

Using a palette knife, paint branches for the Christmas tree, starting at the bottom and working your way up. This was trickier than I thought it would be, and I'd suggest practicing first on a piece of wax paper before you paint on your cake.

Step 25

Decorate the tree with sprinkle ornaments.

Step 26

Pipe some more green garland at the top edge of the cake, and decorate it with sprinkle ornaments.

Step 27

Add a few presents around the fireplace or Christmas tree.

Step 28

Use tip #12 to pipe some white buttercream around the base of the tree to resemble snow or a fluffy blanket.

Step 29

Add some sparkling sugar and top the tree with the star anise.