Get ready for the holiday season with the arrival of the delightful Little Debbie Christmas Trees on store shelves—I’m all in for this festive treat! And the best part? They’re not as complicated to make as you might think!
Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Servings 13
Ingredients
*For the cake:*
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups of water
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of kosher salt
- 1 cup of full-fat sour cream at room temperature
*For the filling:*
- 7 oz of marshmallow filling
- ¾ cup of salted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp of vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp of kosher salt
- 2-4 tbsp of heavy cream or milk at room temperature
*For the coating:*
- 32 oz of almond bark
- 3 tbsp of Crisco
*For decoration:*
- Green sanding sugar
- Red food dye
Instructions
*For the cake:*
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare 2 half sheet pans (18×13-inch) with parchment paper.
- Mix the boxed cake mix, sugar, water, eggs, vanilla, and oil until combined.
- Add flour, salt, and sour cream, mixing until smooth (2-3 minutes).
- Divide the batter into both pans and bake for 15 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
*For the filling:*
- Beat marshmallow fluff and butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tbsp of heavy cream or milk.
- Mix until smooth, adjusting the consistency with more heavy cream if needed.
- Set aside 1/2 cup of the filling and dye it red.
*For assembly:*
- Cut out 26 trees from the cooled cake using a 3-4 inch cookie cutter.
- Spread filling on half of the trees and top with another tree to create sandwiches.
- Place on a jelly roll sheet pan and freeze for 1 hour.
*For the coating:*
- Melt almond bark in a heatproof bowl, stirring in Crisco until fully melted.
*To decorate:*
- Dip the frozen cakes into the melted chocolate and place them on a rack covered in wax or parchment paper.
- Immediately sprinkle with green sanding sugar.
- Use a piping bag with a small round tip to pipe red lines onto the set cakes.
- Enjoy your festive treats!