Description

This festive Little Debbie Christmas Tree Sheet Cake is a delightful holiday treat featuring a moist classic yellow cake layered with fluffy whipped cream filling and topped with a smooth white chocolate buttercream. Decorated with colorful red buttercream borders, green sanding sugar, and holiday sprinkles, it perfectly captures the joy of the season in a simple sheet cake format.

Ingredients

Scale

Classic Yellow Cake

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
3 whole eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 15.25oz box Yellow Duncan Hines cake mix

Whipped Cream Filling

4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 cups powdered sugar

White Chocolate Buttercream

1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature for 10–15 minutes
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
8–9 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream (if needed to thin)

Red Buttercream Border & Decorating Elements

1/2 cup green sanding sugar
1 cup Wilton Christmas Tree sprinkles or any holiday sprinkles
2–3 drops red gel food coloring

Instructions

Prepare the Yellow Cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan or use cake release spray. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Sift the yellow cake mix into the bowl and gently stir until just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Slice the Cake in Half: Once cooled, invert the cake onto parchment paper on your countertop. Using a cake leveler or serrated knife, carefully slice the cake horizontally into two even layers. Slide a thin cutting board under the top layer to lift it gently. Place the bottom layer back into the 9×13 pan.
Make the Whipped Cream Filling: Chill a metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 minutes. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl and whip on low speed for 1 minute, medium for 1 minute, then high for 1 minute, until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract if using, and powdered sugar, then whip again just to combine. Spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the bottom cake layer in the pan. Carefully place the top layer over the filling.
Prepare the White Chocolate Buttercream: In a small bowl, heat the heavy cream and white chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat in 10-second increments if necessary until melted and smooth. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, whip the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Add salt, vanilla extract, then pour in the white chocolate ganache and mix thoroughly. Gradually add powdered sugar and whip at high speed until the buttercream is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup heavy cream to thin. Remove some air bubbles by beating gently with a wooden spoon.
Frost the Cake: Use an offset spatula or cake scraper to frost the entire cake evenly with the white chocolate buttercream, reserving about 2 1/2 to 3 cups for decorating borders.
Color and Pipe Red Buttercream Decorations: Add 2-3 drops of red gel food coloring to the reserved buttercream and mix until uniform. Using a small round piping tip, pipe a red wavy pattern on the cake and trees. Then, switch to an Ateco 325 open star tip to pipe a shell border around the outer edge of the cake with the red buttercream.
Add the Final Touches: Sprinkle green sanding sugar generously over the center of the cake to mimic grass. Decorate the perimeter with Wilton Christmas Tree sprinkles or other holiday sprinkles for festive flair. Serve and enjoy this joyful holiday centerpiece!

Notes

Room temperature ingredients ensure the batter mixes smoothly and the cake bakes evenly.
Using cake release spray or greasing and flouring the pan prevents sticking and keeps the cake layers intact when sliced.
Chilling the bowl and whisk helps achieve fluffy whipped cream more easily.
Adjust the thickness of the white chocolate buttercream by adding heavy cream gradually as needed for easy spreading and piping.
If you do not have a cake leveler, use a serrated knife carefully to slice the cake into layers.
For best decoration results, use gel food coloring which provides vibrant color without altering buttercream consistency.
Make sure the cake is completely cooled before layering and frosting to avoid melting the whipped cream and buttercream.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas cake, sheet cake, yellow cake, white chocolate buttercream, whipped cream filling, holiday dessert, festive cake, Little Debbie inspired, Christmas tree cake