Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Trifle

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Trifle

Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes and fresh strawberries form the middle layer of this no-bake trifle, with a thick white filling above and below. This version uses cream cheese, instant white chocolate pudding, and whipped topping for a filling that holds its shape in a clear bowl. Red icing, green sprinkles, and decorated whole cakes beside the bowl finish the presentation.

Assemble the trifle close to serving so the cake pieces stay distinct. They soften as they sit against the filling; a brief chill is fine, but an overnight rest will change their texture. The recipe makes 8 to 10 servings and takes about 25 minutes to prepare, plus an optional 30-minute chill.

Ingredients for Christmas Tree Cake Trifle

• 6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, divided: 4 to 5 for the trifle and 1 to 2 for display
• 1 lb fresh strawberries (450g), hulled, dried, and diced
• 8 oz cream cheese (225g), softened
• 1 package instant white chocolate pudding mix, about 3.4 oz (95g)
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz frozen whipped topping (225g), thawed
• 2 to 3 tablespoons red cookie icing
• 1 to 2 teaspoons green holiday sprinkles or sanding sugar

Optional garnish: 2 to 4 whole strawberries to arrange beside the bowl.

How to Make Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Trifle

1. Prepare the strawberries and cakes: Keep the strawberries cold, then dry and dice them shortly before assembly. Cut 4 to 5 cakes into bite-size chunks rather than fine crumbs. Reserve the remaining cakes whole for display.
2. Make the pudding mixture: Beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the pudding mix with the cold milk. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until thick enough to hold a soft mound, then mix it into the cream cheese with the vanilla.
3. Fold in the whipped topping: Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping with a rubber spatula until the filling is smooth and fluffy. It should hold a soft mound on a spoon; avoid beating it vigorously.
4. Build the layers: Spread about half the filling across the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart clear trifle bowl. Add the cake chunks and diced strawberries in a visible middle layer, placing some near the glass. Cover with the remaining filling and smooth the top.
5. Chill and decorate: If desired, loosely cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Just before serving, drizzle thin lines of red icing over the trifle and reserved whole cakes. Add green sprinkles to both, then arrange the decorated cakes beside the bowl.

How to Keep the Trifle Layers Distinct

Dry the strawberries before dicing them, and leave any juice collected on the cutting board behind. Excess liquid can seep into the cream and blur the cake-and-berry layer. Keep the cake pieces chunky so they remain visible through the glass.

Add the icing and sprinkles shortly before serving. A thin drizzle on the chilled filling keeps the red lines more distinct than a heavy coating.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated separately. Wash and dry the strawberries ahead if needed, but keep them whole and dice them shortly before assembly. Build the trifle near serving time for the most distinct cake pieces.

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. The cakes will continue to soften as they absorb moisture from the filling.

Serving and Filling Variation

Serve the trifle chilled in its clear bowl, with the decorated whole cakes beside it. Add a few whole strawberries around the bowl if desired. For another holiday dessert, try Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Topping.

For a different filling, use a separate vanilla-pudding, cold-milk, and whipped-topping formula instead of the cream-cheese and white-chocolate-pudding filling here. Keep the large clear bowl if you want the cream, cake, and strawberry layers to show.

Nutrition Information

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1/9 of the trifle: 400 calories, 6g protein, 25g fat, and 38g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 230 calories, 3g protein, 14g fat, and 22g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands used and the size of the snack cakes.