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overhead view of 6 christmas tree cakes on a white platter
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5 from 5 votes

Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

These homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes have a sweet meringue sandwiched between two layers of white cake then topped with tasty chocolate, sprinkles, and icing.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cakes
Calories: 412kcal

Equipment

  • Large baking sheet
  • Wire rack
  • Christmas Tree cookie cutter

Ingredients

For The Cake

  • 1 White cake box mix

For the Swiss Buttercream Filling 

  • 4 large Egg whites
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter 3 room temperature sticks
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

For the White Chocolate Coating and Decorations 

  • 24 ounces Vanilla melting wafers
  • Green sanding sprinkles
  • Red cookie/cake icing should be in a bag with attached piping tip

Instructions

For the Cake 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper.
  • Prepare the cake batter according to the box’s baking instructions and pour it onto the prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth over the top and even out the batter as much as possible.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Use a butter knife or offset spatula to release the edges, then flip the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to carefully remove the layer of parchment paper.
  • While you wait for the cake to cool, prepare the Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
  • Once cool, use a 3-4” (will depend on how large you’d like your cakes to be) Christmas tree cookie cutter to gently cut out as many trees from the cake as possible. Keep in mind you’ll need two of the cut outs per cake.

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling 

  • Put an inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. In the bowl of your stand mixer, stir egg whites, sugar and salt until combined.
  • Place a mixing bowl over the saucepan but be careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula until the sugar dissolves and reaches a temp of 160 F, about 5 minutes. While you stir, scrap the sides of the bowl to ensure no sugar grains are lurking on the sides.
  • Remove mixing bowl from heat and add to a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. They will be glossy. This can take up to 10 minutes. The bowl will continue to cool down in the process as well.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter at a time making sure to mix in thoroughly after each addition. When butter is incorporated, add vanilla extract and beat on low until incorporated then frost or refrigerate until ready to frost.

To Assemble 

  • Set a wire rack over a rimming baking sheet. Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of buttercream on 8 of the cut out trees, then top with remaining 8 trees to create 8 cake sandwiches. Place sandwiches on the wire rack.
  • Melt the candy wafers according to package instructions. If you’d like a shinier look or the wafers need a little help smoothing out, add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil.
  • Pour the melted chocolate coating evenly over the cakes, recollecting excess coating and redistributing if necessary.
  • Sprinkle each cake with green sanding sprinkles, then place them in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the cakes from the fridge and drizzle the red decorating icing over the tops to create a garland pattern.
  • Let the cakes set at room temperature for an hour, then serve! Store cakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

Here are some tips on how to achieve the perfect Christmas tree cakes.
  • Once you’ve frosted the inside of your tree cakes, place them covered in the freezer until hardened, up to 2 hours, before icing the outside. This will keep the cake firm without falling apart during the decorating process.
  • Baking your cake on a large sheet pan is essential in creating the thin cake inside of Little Debbie snack cakes.
  • Add your green sprinkles and red icing right after coating the outside with white frosting, this will help the sprinkles stick to the treat before it dries.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 39mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.04mg