Homemade Chocolate Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Total Time:1 hour
Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix (Standard 15.25 oz size)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 cup powdered sugar
16 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (to thin the chocolate)
Green decorating icing or melted green candy melts
Red sanding sugar or small red nonpareils
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard jelly roll pan or a large rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Mix the chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, water, and alcohol-free vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it into a thin, even layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and marshmallow fluff together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while continuing to beat on low speed. Once combined, increase the speed and whip the mixture for another minute until it resembles a thick, spreadable cream. This will be the sweet center of your trees.
Carefully lift the cooled cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many trees as possible. You should be able to get at least 24 individual tree shapes to create 12 sandwiches. If you have cake scraps leftover, they make a delicious snack while you work.
Spread a generous tablespoon of the marshmallow cream onto the bottom side of half the cake trees. Place another cake tree on top, pressing down gently so the filling reaches the edges but does not spill out. Place the assembled sandwiches on a tray and freeze them for about 20 to 30 minutes. This step is crucial as it makes them much easier to dip in chocolate without falling apart.
Melt the dark chocolate wafers and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring until completely smooth. Remove the chilled cakes from the freezer. Using a fork or a dipping tool, submerge each cake sandwich into the melted chocolate. Lift it out, let the excess drip off, and place it back onto parchment paper to set.
Once the chocolate coating has hardened, it is time for the final touches. Use the green decorating icing to drizzle diagonal stripes across the trees to mimic the classic look. While the green icing is still wet, sprinkle the red sanding sugar or nonpareils over the top to act as Christmas ornaments. Allow everything to set fully before serving.
