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Christmas Chaos Cake

A festive and forgiving cake that welcomes all kinds of mix-ins, perfect for holiday gatherings.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Base
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
  • 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk
Mix-ins
  • 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks can swap with white chocolate
  • 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts or crushed pretzels
  • 1/4 cup holiday sprinkles (optional)
Frosting
  • 1 batch vanilla cream cheese or chocolate buttercream for topping

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan and line with parchment for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Stir sour cream and milk together.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture. Start and end with dry. Mix just until combined.
  7. Fold in the mix-ins gently with a spatula. Do not overmix.
Baking
  1. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Smooth the top.
  2. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  3. Cool completely before frosting. Decorate with sprinkles and extra crushed candy canes if desired.
Serving
  1. Slice into squares and serve. Leftovers keep covered at room temp for a day or in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

Nothing fussy here; room temperature ingredients make for a smoother batter. You can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream and use almond extract for a twist. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a warmer vibe.