Copycat Zebra Cakes 

This homemade version of the nostalgic Little Debbie Zebra Cakes recreates the classic treat with fluffy yellow cake, buttercream filling, and a chocolate-striped vanilla almond coating. These bite‑sized cakes bring back the lunchbox memories—moist cake sandwiched with sweet buttercream, dipped in white candy coating, and drizzled with chocolate for the iconic zebra pattern. Quick to assemble using boxed cake mix, these sweet treats are freezer‑friendly and surprisingly easy, making them ideal for parties or a fun baking project that tastes even better than the original. 

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (15 oz) box yellow cake mix
  
  

• ¾ cup milk
  
  

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  
  

• 3 large eggs
  
  

• 1 egg yolk
  
  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  

Buttercream Filling

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  
  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  

• 3 cups powdered sugar
  
  

• 3 Tbsp milk
  
  

Coating & Drizzle

• ~24 oz vanilla almond bark (or white candy melts)
  
  

• ½ cup semi‑sweet chocolate chips (for stripes)
  
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. In a bowl, mix cake mix, milk, melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and yolk until smooth.
   
   

2. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment, spray with cooking spray, and pour in batter. Bake 25–30 min or until a toothpick comes clean. Let cool 15 min.
   
   

3. Lift cake out using parchment, flip onto a new sheet, place pan on top to press gently, and fully cool. Freeze cake for 1 hour.
   
   

4. While cake chills, whip butter and vanilla until light, then add powdered sugar one cup at a time, and finish with 3 Tbsp milk. Pipe buttercream circles onto cake rounds to form mini sandwiches.
   
   

5. Cut frozen cake into ~3" circles, slice in half horizontally, pipe filling, press back together. Return to freezer.
   
   

6. Melt almond bark until smooth; dip each cake to coat sides and top, then place on parchment. Drizzle melted chocolate stripes across tops to mimic zebra pattern. Let set.
   
   

Nutrients

Calories: ~586 kcal
Carbohydrates: ~85 g
Protein: ~5 g
Fat: ~26 g
Fiber: ~1 g
Sugar: ~62 g
Sodium: ~409 mg