Description
These Homemade Christmas Tree Cakes are a nostalgic throwback to the beloved Little Debbie holiday snack—but made even better in your own kitchen. With soft vanilla cake, fluffy marshmallow cream filling, and a crisp candy coating, they’re perfect for gifting, decorating, or devouring. This double batch is party-ready and includes fun holiday twists like peppermint-infused filling and festive sprinkle mix-ins.
Ingredients
Cake:
2 boxes vanilla or yellow cake mix
Ingredients from the box (6 eggs, 2 cups water, ½ cup oil)
Filling:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
⅔ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup marshmallow fluff
Optional: ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (for a holiday twist)
Decoration:
32 oz white candy coating or almond bark
4 tablespoons shortening (helps coating stay smooth)
Store-bought red decorating icing (for stripes)
Green sprinkles, holiday sugar mix, or edible glitter
Instructions
Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 9×13 pans or one large sheet pan. Mix cake batter according to box instructions. Bake 20–25 minutes or until golden and springy. Let cool completely.
Cut the shapes: Once cooled, use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out cake shapes. You’ll need two matching shapes per cake.
Make the filling: Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and marshmallow fluff (plus peppermint extract if using). Beat until fluffy and spreadable.
Assemble the cakes: Spread filling between two tree shapes to form a sandwich. Chill for 15 minutes to firm.
Coat the cakes: Melt candy coating with shortening until smooth. Dip each cake or spoon coating over the top, ensuring full coverage. Place on parchment to set.
Decorate: Once coating is set, pipe red icing stripes across the trees. Finish with sprinkles or edible glitter for a festive sparkle.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Assembly & Chill: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 250 / mini cake
- Sugar: 20g / mini cake
- Fat: 14g / mini cake
- Carbohydrates: 30g / mini cake
- Protein: 20g / mini cake