Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

Bring the magic of the holidays into your kitchen with these Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes! These nostalgic treats are a festive favorite, and now you can make them at home for a fun baking project. With soft vanilla cake, fluffy marshmallow buttercream, and a sweet candy coating, these cakes are perfect for holiday parties, gift-giving, or simply treating yourself.

Why You’ll Love These Cakes

• Better than Store-Bought: Fresh, homemade ingredients take this classic treat to the next level.
• Festive and Fun: Perfect for the holiday season, these cakes will brighten any dessert table.
• Customizable: Add your own creative spin with different sprinkles or food coloring!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cake Layers

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Decorating

• 2 1/2 cups white candy melts
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1-2 tsp water
• 1 tbsp green sugar sprinkles
• 1-2 drops red food dye

How to Make Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

1. Bake the Cake Layers

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two quarter-sheet pans (or one half-sheet pan) with parchment paper. Lightly grease with non-stick spray.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
5. Bake: Evenly distribute the batter across the prepared pans. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the cake is set. Cool completely before assembling.

2. Prepare the Filling

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and marshmallow fluff until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy.

3. Assemble the Cakes

1. Place one layer of cake on parchment paper. Spread an even layer of filling over the cake, then top with the second cake layer.
2. Chill the assembled cake in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

4. Cut and Decorate

1. Cut Shapes: Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 8 tree shapes.
2. Prepare Candy Coating: Melt the candy melts and coconut oil in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
3. Dip Trees: Dip each tree into the candy coating using forks, allowing excess to drip off. Place on parchment paper and sprinkle with green sugar before the coating sets.
4. Add Red Icing: Mix confectioners’ sugar, water, and red food dye to make red icing. Pipe lines over the trees for a festive look.

Tips for Success

• Chill the Cake: Freezing the assembled cake makes it easier to cut and dip the trees.
• Work Quickly: Candy coating sets fast, so sprinkle the green sugar immediately after dipping.
• Creative Variations: Use different cookie cutter shapes for a fun twist, or try colored candy melts for variety.

Storing Your Cakes

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
• Freezer: These cakes freeze well! Store in a sealed container for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

Why Make These at Home?

Homemade Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes let you enjoy the charm of this classic holiday treat with fresh ingredients and a personal touch. Whether you’re sharing them with loved ones or indulging in a festive snack, these cakes are sure to bring joy to your holiday season.

Looking for more from-scratch recipes? Check out my Instant Butter Pecan Pudding Mix or Base Cake Mix for more delicious inspiration.

Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

Create your own version of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes with this easy recipe. Enjoy the same festive flavors and fun at home without the store-bought price.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 8 cakes

Calories 601 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature

Filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup Marshmallow fluff
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Decorating

• 2 1/2 cups white candy melts
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1-2 tsp. water more if needed
• 1 Tbsp. green sugar sprinkles
• 1-2 drops red food dye

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line two 1/4 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly grease with non stick spray. If you don't have 1/4 cookie sheet pans, use one standard 1/2 sheet pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate, larger bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Mix for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture has lightened in color and is fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time mixing between each addition. Add in the vanilla.
• Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients alternate adding in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mixing a little bit between each addition. Do not over mix the batter, use a silicone spatula to ensure that everything is combined nice and evenly. Evenly distribute the batter in the cookie sheets then use an offset spatula to spread the batter around evenly.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cake is not jiggly and is just golden brown along the edges of the pan. Let the cake sit in the pans for about 5 minutes before flipping them out onto parchment paper. Once you've flipped the cakes onto parchment paper, allow them to cool at room temperature and set aside. If you used one 1/2 cookie sheet, cut it in half the short way so you have two equal halves. Let the cakes cool and make the filling in the meantime.
• To make the filling, use an electric mixer or a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment to whisk together the butter and fluff. Mix until there are no lumps of butter. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix Slowly add in the confectioner's sugar until everything is nice and evenly combined and there are no lumps. Add in the vanilla.
• Place one half of the cake onto a cookie sheet fit with parchment paper. This will help us move the cake to the freezer later. Scoop the filling onto one half of the cake then use an offset spatula to spread the frosting out evenly. Top the frosted half of the cake with the other half of the cooled cake. The layers should go; cake, frosting, cake.
• Transfer this to the freezer and allow to chill for at least one hour.
• After the cake has chilled for at least one hour, use a tree cookie cutter to cut out as many trees as you can. You should have around 8 trees. Once the cakes have chilled for enough time, combine the confectioner's sugar, water and red food dye to prepare the red glaze drizzle. Once this is smooth and the perfect shade of red, place this into a piping bag. Set aside.
• Melt the white candy melts and coconut oil in 30 second intervals mixing between each interval until completely melted and smooth. One at a time, using two forks, gently drop each tree into the candy melts and coat evenly. Allow the excess candy melts to drip off of the trees then place onto a cookie sheet fit with parchment paper. Allow the candy melts to set on the trees for about 30-45 seconds then sprinkle of the green sprinkles. Once the candy melts set, the green sprinkles won't stick. Use the red icing to pipe the nostalgic lines of red on top of each christmas tree.
• Storing Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes: These cakes should be stored sealed in the fridge and can last up to one week. They can also be stored, sealed in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcalCarbohydrates: 109gProtein: 4gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 134mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 1148IUCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg

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