These spice cake bars are perfect for the holidays – they are cake-y, moist, and sweet. And the Peeps on top make them so festive!

Spice Cake Bars with Peeps in Snow Frosting

I’m in love with so many things about winter and the holidays. Where do I even begin? Well – one of the things I love is gingerbread/spice cake. I also love the cold weather.

I love the color palettes . . . I’m a big fan of blue, silver, and white (and red, white, and green too!). I love the parties. And I LOVE the holiday Peeps!

Yes – I’m one of those people who looks forward to the Peeps every Easter. I get thrilled when I see the little green, yellow, orange, and pink chicks on my drugstore shelves.

I’m also quite thrilled that Peeps have expanded into other holiday seasons as well – Christmas being one of them!

Sugar cookie and hot cocoa cream holiday peeps for Christmas

This year I was sent several packages of holiday Peeps with the goal of making a recipe with them. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever had an easier challenge! I received the following PEEPS® to try:

PEEPS® Hot Cocoa & Cream Flavored Marshmallow Chicks Dipped in White Fudge
PEEPS® Milk Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookie Flavored Chicks

While I loved them both for snacking (get in mah belleh!), I knew that the Hot Cocoa & Cream in particular would be the “pièce de résistance” of a dessert I was planning – spice cake bars with frosting! If you have never had a spice cake bar, you’re missing out.

It’s that time of year to make this simple dessert bar recipe for a party, for neighbor gifts (you can easily wrap these individually), or just to eat as a delicious Christmas dessert during the holidays.

Spice Cake Bar Recipe

Ingredients

One box spice cake mix
One egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup of milk (you may need a little more or less)
For the frosting:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
To decorate the top:
- White/blue sprinkles and/or snowflake sprinkles
- Hot Cocoa & Cream Peeps – at least two packs

Tools

9″ square cake pan

I used six Peeps, but ended up cutting nine bars. If you plan better than I did, you can fit nine Peeps in the pan if you like!

Close up of Peeps on top of spice cake bars

Everything about these little Peeps cake bars is amazing. The Peeps are just sitting on the snow . . . waiting to be eaten!

Cake bars with gingerbread spice for Christmas

Get the printable recipe card below.

Spice Cake Bars

This spice cake bar recipe is perfect for the holidays – they are cake-y, moist, and sweet. And the Peeps on top make them so festive!

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: bars

Ingredients

1 box spice cake mix
1 egg(s)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 T butter
2 T milk
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 Peeps

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°.
In a mixing bowl, combine the spice cake mix with one egg and the vegetable oil. The mixture is going to be pretty thick, but this will give you a good idea of how much milk you need. I prepared 1/3 cup of milk and poured most of it in . . . then stirred.
The goal is to get the mixture to just thin enough that it can be stirred. It will definitely be thicker than you are used to with a typical cake recipe.
Once the mixture is thin enough to stir, mix well for several minutes. Then pour into a 9 x 9 non-stick or greased cake pan.Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the center is done (you can test with a toothpick; make sure it comes out clean).
Allow to cool for 30 minutes or until the center sets. While the cake bars are cooling, make the vanilla frosting.
Place 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the sugar. Stir to combine.
The mixture should be frosting consistency; if it isn’t, add a touch of milk and keep stirring until it reaches desired consistency.
Immediately spread on the cake bars with a knife. Sprinkle your sprinkles and snowflakes on top; place your Peeps directly into the icing.