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–+ servings

Copycat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake

A nostalgic and festive cake shaped like a Christmas tree, featuring a buttery-soft sponge and a melt-in-your-mouth buttercream, perfect for sharing during the holiday season.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Holiday
Servings 12 pieces
Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature Two measures of unsalted butter are used: one for the cake base and one for the buttercream.
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 pieces eggs, room temperature
  • 4 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

For the Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature Additional butter for the frosting.
  • 5 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 4-5 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For Decoration

  • 2 Tbsp green sugar sprinkles
  • 2-3 drops red gel food dye

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease and line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition, then add vanilla.
  • Alternately add the dry mix and buttermilk, mixing between additions.
  • Scoop half of the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let the first cake cool for about 5 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Repeat for the second half of the batter.

Make the Buttercream

  • In a mixer, beat butter and confectioner's sugar on low speed, adding heavy cream until smooth.
  • Mix in vanilla and salt, scraping down the sides as needed.

Assemble the Cake

  • Once both cakes are cooled, cut them into Christmas tree shapes using a stencil for accuracy.
  • Place one tree face down on a serving dish and pipe buttercream on top, then flip the second tree on top.
  • Crumb coat the entire cake and chill in the fridge for an hour.
  • Frost the cake with a thicker layer of buttercream.
  • Mix a small portion of buttercream with red dye for decoration.
  • Decorate with green sugar sprinkles and red piping.

Notes

Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze whole undecorated trees tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20g
Keyword Baking, Christmas Cake, Copycat Little Debbie, Holiday Treats
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