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Close-up of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake showing soft vanilla cake interior, marshmallow filling, and white chocolate coating with sprinkles.

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake (Homemade Copycat Recipe)

This Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake copycat recipe is a sweet holiday tradition in our home—soft vanilla cake, fluffy marshmallow filling, and a smooth white chocolate coating that’s even better than the store-bought version.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Christmas snack cakes, copycat Christmas cake, holiday dessert recipe, Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 420kcal
Cost: $12

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan Line with parchment for easy removal
  • 1 Electric mixer Hand or stand mixer
  • 1 Christmas tree cookie cutter 3–4 inches tall
  • 1 Baking Sheet For freezing the cakes
  • 1 Parchment paper Prevents sticking
  • 1 Microwave-safe bowl For melting white chocolate
  • 1 Fork For dipping

Ingredients

For the Vanilla Cake

  • 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • 1 ½ cups Granulated sugar
  • 3 large Eggs Room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Whole milk

For the Marshmallow Filling

  • 1 jar Marshmallow creme 7 ounces
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

For the White Chocolate Coating

  • 2 cups White chocolate chips Or candy melts
  • 2 tablespoons Coconut oil Or vegetable shortening

For Decoration

  • ½ cup Green sprinkles More if desired
  • Optional Red icing For garland
  • Optional Star sprinkles For tree tops

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x13 pan with parchment. Olivia always checks the oven light with me and says, “It’s warming up just like a hug.”
  • In a bowl, whisk together the [flour], [baking powder], and [salt]. My little helper loves counting scoops, three flour scoops is her favorite job.
  • Beat the [butter] and [sugar] until light and fluffy. Olivia says it “looks like clouds,” and she’s always right.
  • Mix in the [eggs] one at a time, followed by the [vanilla]. This is when my daughter always sneaks a tiny vanilla smell test.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and [milk] until just combined. Don’t overmix, gentle hands make tender cake.
  • Pour batter into pan and bake for 25–30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting, this part truly tests patience in our kitchen.
  • Beat [marshmallow creme], [butter], [powdered sugar], and [vanilla] until fluffy. Olivia says it’s “like frosting clouds.”
  • Cut cake using a tree cutter, spread filling on one half, and top with another to create a sandwich.
  • Freeze filled cakes for 30 minutes. This is the most important step, cold cakes make perfect dipping.
  • Melt [white chocolate] with [coconut oil] until smooth. Olivia love-stirs this part carefully like she’s guarding treasure.
  • Dip each frozen cake into coating, sprinkle with [green sprinkles], and add [red icing] garland if desired.

Notes

  • Freeze before dipping for clean, smooth coatings.
  • Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
  • For less sweetness, replace marshmallow filling with Swiss meringue buttercream.
  • These also work beautifully as cake pops, trifle layers, or cheesecake crusts.
  • Best enjoyed with warm cocoa and a child at your side asking for “just one more.”

Nutrition

Serving: 1cake | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.8mg