Christmas Tree Cakes – Little Debbie Copycat Recipe

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are a holiday tradition at our house, but they can be hard to find. Now you can make them at home! We’ve perfected the copycat recipe to get the classic look as well as the authentic flavor.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Leave a Comment

Little Debbie snack cakes have been a family tradition at our house since I was a little girl, so it’s no surprise that we had to make a copycat of our favorite holiday one. 

We brought these Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes to our family’s Christmas Eve party for dessert and they were a huge hit!

Everybody said they tasted better than the Little Debbie version.

We’re all heart eyes and giggles over this latest copycat recipe.

We’re thrilled that so many people are making this recipe for Christmas this year.

May it be a family tradition that you can do with your loved ones for years to come.

🔑 Key to Success #1 – Make The Springy Sponge Cake Batter

The cake for the Christmas Tree Cakes is a classic sponge cake, but we’re making it easy by doctoring up a boxed cake mix.

To make the boxed cake mix into a sponge cake, we’re whipping six eggs for a full six minutes until they are thick and pale yellow.

Set a timer for 6 minutes so that you’ll be sure they are whipped enough.

We’re whipping the whole eggs together.

Not just the yolks. Not just the whites.

This will give it plenty of richness while also keeping the cake light and fluffy.

It’s one of my favorite tricks to make a delightfully light and delicious sponge cake.

Next, beat in the cake mix, powder sugar, water, and oil on medium speed.

Powdered sugar is also a secret ingredient in this recipe.

Trust me, you won’t want to skip it.

The recipe calls for a box of white cake mix; however, you can substitute a yellow cake mix if you prefer.

🔑 Key to Success #2 – Bake Thin Cakes

We’re baking our cake on a rimmed baking sheet so that the cakes will be thin.

Each Christmas tree cake will have two very thin cakes with a cream filling sandwiched in the middle of them.

Make sure your baking sheets are half-sheet-sized, which is 18×13 inches.

You will need two pans of this size.

If you only have one pan, you will need to bake your cake in batches.

It’s perfectly acceptable to bake the cakes one at a time.

You’ll just need to wait until both cakes are cool before going to the next step.

Line the pans with parchment paper so that the cakes will be easy to remove from the pan.

Be sure to spray the pan and the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake the cakes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes until the cakes spring back when gently touched.

Rotate your pans halfway through cooking to ensure that the cakes bake evenly.

After the cakes come out of the oven, allow them to cool completely.

When cool, use your 3-inch or 4-inch Christmas Tree cookie cutters to cut out 20 or more cakes.

We were able to cut out 27 Christmas tree shapes from our cakes and it was more than enough.

We ended up with 13 finished Christmas tree cakes from the 27 Christmas tree shapes.

Since we started with an odd number, we had one left over. I promise you it did not go to waste.

🔑 Key to Success #3 – Make the Luscious Marshmallow Filling

The filling for these cute little Christmas Tree Cakes is a fluffy marshmallow frosting.

Using an electric mixer, whip together a jar of marshmallow creme, softened butter, and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Next, slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat the filling until it is smooth and creamy.

If you have a piping bag, you can fit it with a small round piping tip like a Wilton #5, then spoon the filling into it.

If not, you can spoon the filling into a large zip-top plastic bag and then snip off the end to use it as a piping bag.

Since we are not doing any precise piping, you can use either method.

Once you have your filling in the bag, you can use it to cover one Christmas tree shape with the filling.

Outline the cake with filling then continue piping toward the center until it is completely covered with the filling.

You do not have to smooth out the filling with a knife.

Just place the other Christmas tree shape on top of the filling and press it down gently.

This will squish the filling to the edges and make it fill in perfectly.

You just want to make sure that the filling gets all the way to the edges of the Christmas tree shape.

🔑 Key to Success #4 – Freeze For Easy Dipping

After all the Christmas Tree cake sandwiches are made, it’s time to freeze them so that they will be easy to dip in white almond bark.

Place all the Christmas Tree sandwiches onto a baking sheet that has been lined with waxed paper then pop it into the freezer.

Freeze the Christmas tree cakes until they are completely firm, for at least 2 hours.

You can leave them in the freezer uncovered for 2-3 hours or overnight.

If you are freezing them longer than this, individually wrap the cakes in plastic wrap to protect them from freezer burn.

🔑 Key to Success #5 – Cover with White Almond Bark

For the white coating on our Christmas Tree Cakes, we’re going with vanilla almond bark that has been thinned a bit.

Thinning the almond bark is a key to making a Christmas Tree Cake just like Little Debbie.

After the candy coating has melted, add in two tablespoons of Crisco shortening.

You can find Crisco shortening in the baking aisle of any grocery store.

It comes in a can or in sticks.

I prefer the sticks because it’s easier to use and store.

Make sure you get the plain unflavored variety, not the butter-flavored Crisco.

Stir the Crisco shortening into the melted candy until it is melted and smooth.

One by one, dip the frozen Christmas Tree sandwiches into the melted almond bark.

Spoon the almond bark over the Christmas Tree cakes to make sure they are completely covered.

Use two forks to remove the coated Christmas Trees to a sheet of waxed paper to dry and harden.

While the almond bark is still wet, sprinkle green sanding sugar over the almond bark.

🔑 Key to Success #6 – Stripe the Christmas Trees with Red Cookie Icing

The pouches of red cookie icing that you can find at the grocery store are the perfect consistency to make the stripes on our Christmas Tree Cakes.

This is not the tiny tubes of decorating gel.

They are pouches of colored frosting that you can find in the baking aisle.

You can find pouches that come with decorating tips.

But many of them are the kind where you just snip off the tip of the nozzle and then squeeze the icing out.

Wait until the almond bark has dried and hardened before applying the red icing stripes.

Start about halfway down the side of the Christmas Tree Cake.

Hold the pouch of frosting about a half-inch above the Christmas Tree so that the icing falls across the cake gently.

You don’t want to pipe a hard straight line across the cake or it won’t look natural and authentic.

Pipe four or five red lines across the cake.

They do not have to be straight. In fact, they should not be all straight and perfect.

Allow the red cookie icing to dry before moving the Christmas tree cakes.

Once the Christmas Tree Cakes are fully dried, they are easy to move around or transport as needed.

We ended up with 13 fully decorated Christmas Tree cakes and had plenty of filling and red cookie icing left over.

I was concerned that I might run out of those two items, but I really had more than enough.

You can use your leftover cake, filling, and supplies to make Christmas Tree Cake Balls!

📌 Get the Printable Recipe for Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Copycat

Save this Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes copycat recipe to your favorite Christmas board or your Cute Christmas Treats board.

Christmas Tree Cakes (Little Debbie Copycat Recipe)

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are a holiday tradition at our house, but they can be hard to find. Now you can make them at home! We've perfected the recipe to get the classic look as well as the authentic flavor.

4.56 from 163 votes

Print Pin Rate Comment

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 cakes

Calories: 789kcal

Author: Jennifer

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Freezing Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 12 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the Cake

• ▢ 6 eggs
• ▢ 1 box white cake mix
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup powdered sugar

For the Filling

• ▢ 1 jar, 7 oz marshmallow creme
• ▢ ¾ cup butter, softened
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

For the White Coating

• ▢ 24 oz white almond bark
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Crisco shortening

For the Decorations

• ▢ green sanding sugar
• ▢ 1 red cookie icing pouch

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line bottoms of two half-sheet pans (18×13-inch) with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed for 6 minutes, until thick and pale yellow.
• Add cake mix, powdered sugar, water, and oil. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds then scrape the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
• Measure out 2 1/4 cups of batter into each pan. Spread evenly.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool completely.
• Use a 3-inch or 4-inch Christmas Tree cookie cutter to cut out 20 or more Christmas Trees from the cakes. (We were able to get 27 total using a 4-inch Christmas Tree cutter. You need two Christmas Trees for each Christmas Tree Cake.)
• For the filling, beat marshmallow creme, softened butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
• Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip OR spoon filling into a zip-top plastic baggie and snip off the tip. Pipe frosting all over the top of one Christmas Tree then place a second Christmas Tree on top of the frosting. Repeat for all other Christmas trees.
• Place the Christmas Trees into the freezer for two hours or more until they are firm.
• In a deep bowl that is big enough to fit a Christmas Tree Cake, melt the almond bark by microwaving on high power for 1 minute then stir well. Continue heating in 30-second increments until almond bark is smooth. Stir in Crisco shortening until it melts.
• Dip each frozen cake into almond bark, spooning the almond bark over the cake to coat it well. Use two forks to remove the cakes to a sheet of waxed paper. Immediately sprinkle the green sanding sugar over each cake. Allow to dry completely.
• When dry, snip off the tip of the red cookie frosting and drizzle stripes over each cake.

Equipment

• CK Products 4 Ounce Sugar Crystals Bottle, Green
• Betty Crocker Red Cookie Icing, 7 Oz (Pack of 3)
• Wilton 12-Inch Disposable Cake Decorating Bags, 50-Count Pastry Bags
• Round Decorating Tip 5
• Ann Clark Cookie Cutters Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter, 4″
• Sunbeam / Oster 115969-001-000 4 Quart Glass Bowl fits models 2370 and 2371
• KitchenAid KSM150PSBY Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield – Boysenberry
• KitchenAid KHMB732VB Cordless Hand Mixer, 7 Speed, Blue Velvet
• USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan, Warp Resistant Nonstick Baking Pan, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel –

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 g | Calories: 789 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 63 g | Saturated Fat: 15 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 45 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 150 mg | Sodium: 533 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 31 g

Did You Make This Recipe?

⭐ Leave a comment and rating below — it helps other readers!

👩‍🍳 Did you make any changes or substitutions?

I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen.

📌 Save this recipe so you can make it again.

📧 Want more easy family dinners like this in your inbox?

Join my free Dinner Idea Box newsletter for simple family dinners every week.

Handpicked Recipe Favorites from My Kitchen, Just for You!

Christmas Tree Oreos

Christmas Tree Cake Truffles

S’mores Chocolate Drops

Santa Claus Nutter Butter Cookies

Rudolph Chicken Cheese Ball

Easy Apple Cinnamon Bake