1-Getting started: Getting started with this Gold Green Christmas Trees Cake is easier than you might think, and I love sharing these steps to help you feel confident in the kitchen. First, fill, crumb coat, and frost the cake using your preferred flavors to build a strong base. This sets the stage for all the fun decorations that make it special for Christmas.

2-Next, place gold sugar pearls randomly over the cake surface for a bit of shine. Then, toss white, gold, and silver sparkling sugar over the cake before the buttercream sets, adding extra sparkle. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and one of the tips like #18 for small stars, #101 for ruffly trees, or #352 for leaves, and fill it with dark green buttercream.

3-Before piping on the cake, practice your tree shapes on wax paper to get it just right. Once you’re ready, pipe the trees onto the cake using your chosen tip. Finally, use tweezers to place long gold sprinkles vertically under each tree to make trunks that stand out.

4-The total preparation time is about 1 hour, which is perfect for a quick holiday project. This recipe works well for high-altitude baking, as it’s been tested at 5,280 feet, so don’t worry if you’re up in the mountains.