Copycat Little Debbie Tree Cakes

5 from 1 vote

Copycat Little Debbie Tree Cakes

Homemade copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes made with soft vanilla cake, buttercream filling, and a white chocolate coating.

Course Baking

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 18

Servings cakes

Calories 597kcal

Author Lise Sullivan Ode

Equipment

Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter - 3.5"

Ingredients

For the cakes

1 box (approx. 15 oz) white cake mix
½ cup powdered sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup water or milk (check specific cake mix box instructions)
¼ cup vegetable oil

For the buttercream filling

½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the coating and decoration

24 ounces white candy melts or almond bark
2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil (optional, to thin white candy melts or white chocolate)
1 tablespoon Green sanding sugar or sprinkles
4 drops red food coloring gel (or more if needed)

Instructions

Prepare and Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two sheet pans (approx. 11x15 inches) with parchment paper and grease with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, powdered sugar, eggs, water, and oil. Mix until combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Spread the batter evenly and thinly across both prepared pans. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.Cut the Cakes: Once cooled, use a 3 to 4-inch Christmas tree cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the cake layers (about 14 tree cakes per pan).
Make the Buttercream Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Reserve ½ cup of frosting to tint red. Keep remaining frosting plain.
Assemble the Cakes: Transfer the filling to a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe a layer of frosting onto half of the cake cutouts, and then top with the remaining cake cutouts to create sandwiches. Place the assembled cakes in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours until they are very firm. This is crucial for dipping them without falling apart.
Coat and Decorate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white candy melts (or almond bark) in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Stir in the oil (this helps to make it smoother for dipping). Dip each frozen cake into the melted white candy melts using a fork to lift and drain the excess. Place the coated cakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with green sanding sugar before the white coating sets.
Finish and Serve: Once the white coating is dry, use the red frosting to draw horizontal stripes across each tree using a piping bag and a #4 round tip or a small zip-top bag with a tiny corner cut. Chill for another 15 minutes to set completely. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Best if eaten at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Substitute a chocolate cake mix if you prefer.

Nutrition