When Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes were absent from last year's lineup, fans feared for the worst. Had they suffered the same fate as the discontinued red velvet variety? According to a Little Debbie post on Facebook, the chocolate trees were not produced in 2024 due to a global cocoa shortage. Well, chocolate lovers, rejoice and be glad. The chocolate tree cakes are officially back.

With the announcement, excited followers took to Instagram to celebrate and declare the chocolate-flavored treats to be even better than the original. My take on the Chocolate Christmas Tree Cake is less enthusiastic. Three of the five snack cakes in my box (delivered directly from parent company McKee Foods) were smashed and broken around the edges. So first impressions were less than stellar. As for the overall eating experience, the cake's texture was crumbly and dry instead of moist, and its flavor was meek and mild instead of decadent. I wanted more from that chocolate creme filling than basic Hostess vibes. 

In-tact and fresh, I'm guessing one of these red-and-green sprinkled Christmas cakes could go a long way toward lifting your holiday spirits. One Redditor on r/junkfoodfinds recommends "warming them in the microwave for 10 seconds and eating with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream." With that in mind, I'd be willing to give the Chocolate Tree Cakes a second chance.