Halloween is here 🤗 🎃 and boo-cause we can’t wait to post this genius copycat recipe, we decided to go ahead and reveal it now! This time of year, we know everyone looks forward to grabbing those classic Little Debbie snack cakes during the holidays. You know, the adorable Christmas tree shaped cakes that hit just right. IYKYK. 😉 Well, we have cracked the code 🕵🏼♀️ and created our own DIY Little Debbie snack cakes – Halloween edition. 🎃👻
Our classic Vanilla Funfetti Cake Recipe is paired with a light and fluffy whipped filling and then dipped in white chocolate coating. The result is so similar to those little cakes we all love to grab at the grocery store that you won’t know the difference! AND these are cute little ghost shapes! 👻 Feel free, though, to improvise this recipe to be whatever shape you want and for any holiday or event.
Now, go get those cookie cutters out and let’s get our bake on babes! Happy Halloween and Holiday Season!
What You Need
Vanilla Cake – we used our classic Funfetti Vanilla Cake Recipe
2 + 3/4 cups cake flour (spoon and leveled)
2 + 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1+ 1/4 tsp salt
1 + 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)
1 + 1/4 cup whole milk (any type of milk will work)
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sprinkles (optional)
Vanilla Whipped Cream Filling
2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp vanilla pudding mix or EZ gel
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
White Chocolate Coating
Ghirardelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers (24 ounces)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Toppings of your choice for decoration
Step by Step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 11×15 inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- MAKE CAKE: In a medium bowl, sift and combine the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy on high speed. Add in the granulated sugar and beat on high again for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Next, add in the eggs and beat on high for another minute. Turn mixer off and scrap down the bowl with rubber spatula.
- Turn mixer back on to medium speed and add in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Lastly, turn mixer on low speed and slowly add in the milk.
- Turn off mixer, and hand mix a couple of time with your rubber spatula lightly (don’t over mix). Fold in sprinkles if you are adding those.
- Pour batter into greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. To test if done, use toothpick in center and if it comes out clean remove from oven. If still wet, add 2 more minutes. Repeat until done. ( You want to be sure your cake is not underbaked).
- Let pan and cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- MAKE WHIPPED FILLING: In a large bowl with a stand mixer (or handheld), beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- ASSEMBLE CAKES: Once your cake is cooled, cut horizontally in half to make two layers. Cut out your cake shapes. Then, fill each shape in between the layers with your whipped filling. Be sure to fill all the way to the edge. Scrape any excess filling so shapes are even and without any gaps in between the two layers.
- Cover and place your assembled cakes in the freezer for at least 2-4 hours or overnight to chill.
- DIP CAKES: Melt your Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers according to the package. The only note I have on this step is to not overheat. We started with 30 seconds, stirred, and then returned the chocolate to the microwave for another 30 seconds until the chocolate was melted all the way. You don’t want to overheat because it will make the chocolate too thin (or it will create a thickness that does not coat the cake balls with a smooth surface). Once melted, add in your vegetable oil and combine. Using a fork (or two), begin dipping each chilled cake into the chocolate. Let remaining chocolate run off back into the bowl and simply place each cake on the parchment paper to harden. This will happen pretty fast, so if you want to add sprinkles or any type of topping, add it right after you place each cake ball onto the parchment before it hardens. We let ours harden all the way, then followed up with extra white chocolate to create a fun drizzle on top, then some more holidays sprinkles on top (duh).
Note: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pays us a small commission for our referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Cookies & Calligraphy!
Halloween Ghost Snack Cakes (Little Debbie Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 11×15 cake pan
- 1 Cookie Cutter Shapes
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour spoon and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream full fat
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk any type of milk will work
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sprinkles optional
Whipped Cream Filling
- 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp vanilla pudding mix or EZ gel
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
White Chocolate Coating
- 24 oz Ghirardelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers 24 ounces
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Toppings of your choice for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 11×15 inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
MAKE CAKE
- In a medium bowl, sift and combine the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy on high speed. Add in the granulated sugar and beat on high again for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Next, add in the egg whites and beat on high for another minute. Turn mixer off and scrap down the bowl with rubber spatula.
- Turn mixer back on to medium speed and add in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Lastly, turn mixer on low speed and slowly add in the milk.
- Turn off mixer, and hand mix a couple of time with your rubber spatula lightly (don’t over mix). Fold in sprinkles if you are adding those.
- Pour batter into greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. To test if done, use toothpick in center and if it comes out clean remove from oven. If still wet, add 2 more minutes. Repeat until done. ( You want to be sure your cake is not underbaked).
- Let pan and cake cool completely on a wire rack.
MAKE WHIPPED FILLING
- In a large bowl with a stand mixer (or handheld), beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
ASSEMBLE CAKES
- Once your cake is cooled, cut horizontally in half to make two layers. Cut out your cake shapes. Then, fill each shape in between the layers with your whipped filling. Be sure to fill all the way to the edge. Scrape any excess filling so shapes are even and without any gaps in between the two layers.
- Cover and place your assembled cakes in the freezer for at least 2-4 hours or overnight to chill.
DIP CAKES
- Melt your Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers according to the package. The only note I have on this step is to not overheat. We started with 30 seconds, stirred, and then returned the chocolate to the microwave for another 30 seconds until the chocolate was melted all the way. You don’t want to overheat because it will make the chocolate too thin (or it will create a thickness that does not coat the cake balls with a smooth surface). Once melted, add in your vegetable oil and combine. Using a fork (or two), begin dipping each chilled cake into the chocolate. Let remaining chocolate run off back into the bowl and simply place each cake on the parchment paper to harden. This will happen pretty fast, so if you want to add sprinkles or any type of topping, add it right after you place each cake ball onto the parchment before it hardens. We let ours harden all the way, then followed up with extra white chocolate to create a fun drizzle on top, then some more holidays sprinkles on top (duh).
