I do love the run up to Christmas more than any other time of the year. The kitchen always smells of cinnamon and mulled wine and there are always lots of baked goodies to eat whilst wrapping presents and writing cards ( I still haven't finished either of these tasks!) Last weekend I visited some university friends, Fay Magdalen and Sonya and their cute little boys Ishan and Tommy. Before heading off I very quickly made a Christmas tree cake in a tree shaped cake case I found in our local cookshop. The cake was a chocoholics dream - chocolate sponge, with chunks of caramel chocolate and plain chocolate If you don't have a Christmas tree case or pan then bake a large rectangular cake and when it is cool cut out a Christmas tree shape with a sharp knife. Using a green buttercream, pipe large stars along the bottom of the tree pulling the icing bag away from the cake on each star so that it makes a feathered effect (to resemble tree branches). Repeat all the way to the top of the tree, then decorate with chocolate buttons, coloured sweets and edible glitter. This was such a quick cake to decorate and Tommy and Ishan loved it!