Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Active Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
10 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
24 oz. vanilla melting wafers, such as CandiQuick
Green sanding sprinkles
Red cookie decorating icing
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Spray paper with cooking spray.
Beat egg yolks and 1 cup of the sugar with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Using clean, dry beaters and a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-fourth of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture until just combined, then fold in the remaining three-fourths egg white mixture.
Stir together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture. Fold gently until just blended, then fold in the remaining two-thirds of the flour mixture. Spread batter gently in prepared pan, taking care not to deflate batter.
Bake in preheated oven until puffed and lightly browned on top, 11 to 13 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen; cool in the pan 2 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Using a 3 1/2 or 4-inch Christmas tree cookie cutter, cut out 16 tree shapes from the cake. Discard any scraps. Spread about 2 tablespoons of buttercream on 8 of the cut-out trees, then top with the remaining 8 trees to create 8 cake sandwiches. Place sandwiches on a wire rack fitted into a rimmed baking sheet.
Melt candy wafers according to package directions. Pour melted candy coating evenly over cakes, being sure to coat each cake evenly. If needed, scrape any excess candy coating back into the bowl and pour over the cakes again to coat fully. Sprinkle with green sanding sprinkles. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill until the candy melts are set, about 20 minutes.
Snip the tip of decorating icing and drizzle over Christmas Tree Cakes to create a red garland pattern. Let it sit until red garland is set, about 1 hour at room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Notes:
Tips for the Best Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes:
Don’t over-whip the eggs—the egg yolks should be thick and tripled in volume, and the egg whites at stiff peaks for the loftiest batter.
Fold and spread the batter gently to avoid deflating it.
Chill cakes to set the buttercream in place for the cleanest coating.
Scrape up and reheat excess melting wafers if needed to coat all the cakes.
Remember to add the sprinkles when the coating is wet to help them adhere to the cakes.
Snip a very small tip in the decorating icing for elegant lines. You can always cut the hole a little larger if needed after testing the design.
How To Store Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes:
Since these cakes are filled with Swiss meringue buttercream and coated with vanilla wafers, they may be sensitive to warm temperatures. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze for up to two months. They’ll defrost quickly at room temperature for serving.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What other frostings can I use for filling these Christmas tree cakes?
Swap in any frosting you prefer for filling the cakes, whether homemade or store-bought. A classic vanilla buttercream, or holiday-flavored options (eggnog, bourbon, or cream cheese frosting) would all be delicious, even if not classic Little Debbie.
Can I repurpose the cake scraps?
Mix the leftover cake scraps with just enough frosting to bring the mixture together, and roll into balls for quick cake pops. Chill and coat with any leftover melting wafers before decorating as desired.
Can I use boxed cake mix for this cake?
Feel free to use boxed cake mix and mix as directed, baking in a sheet pan for cutting out the tree shapes. With this shortcut, you can even double up and make multiple flavors.
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com
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Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Active Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 6 cups
Ingredients:
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened to room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Directions:
Pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a large saucepan; bring water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, maintaining a gentle simmer. Whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Crumple a large piece of aluminum foil; shape it into a ring about 2 inches high. Place in simmering water in a saucepan. (The foil ring will prevent the mixer bowl from touching the water.) Place the mixer bowl on the foil ring.
Cook egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat mixture on low speed for 1 minute; gradually increase speed to medium-high, beating until mixture is fluffy, glossy, and completely cool, 8 to 10 minutes total.
Reduce speed to medium-low, and add softened butter a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Remove whisk attachment; attach paddle attachment. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat frosting on low until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Use immediately, chill in an airtight container up to 3 days, or freeze up to 1 month. (Before using, let chilled or frozen buttercream come to room temperature and beat on low speed.)
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com