The holidays are here, and we couldn’t be more excited! The Disney trees are trimmed, the lights are bright, and we’re ready to indulge in festive treats all season long. 

To kick things off, Perfecting the Magic is celebrating with a classic Walt Disney World snack—and total fan favorite—the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie from Hollywood Studios.  

This fluffy, burgundy beauty filled with cream cheese frosting is unbelievably simple to make, completely delicious, and aesthetically pleasing, too.  

The best part? This can’t-miss seasonal indulgence will transport you to the holidays at Disney whenever you like. We hope you come back to this recipe again and again! 

Our Inspiration 

Walt Disney World describes the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie (found at Backlot Express and The Trolley Car Café) as a “red velvet cake filled with classic cream cheese filling and festive sprinkles.” 

Our recipe pays homage to the original while making it home-kitchen friendly. The result is as reliable as it is delicious! 

Our Creative Process 

When we set out to make this copycat recipe, we knew we wanted it to be stress-free. To achieve this, we started working on the perfect cake base.  

After some trial and error, we found that boxed cake provided consistent results without the need for sifting flours and adding in messy food coloring. 

After testing several mixes, we found that Duncan Hines came out on top. Offering a rich flavor and springy texture, this time-saver produced undeniable results. If you have a mix you prefer, feel free to use it instead. Prefer to make things the ‘old-fashioned way’? Any red velvet recipe you trust would be a worthy substitution.  

Ingredients You’ll Need 

For the Whoopie Pies 

• 1 box red velvet cake mix 

• 1/4 cup water 
• 1/3 cup canola oil 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

For the Filling 

• 1 softened stick of salted butter 
• 1 softened 8oz package of cream cheese 

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 3 cups powdered sugar 

For the Garnish 

• Green sanding sugar  
• Powdered sugar to dust the tops (optional)  

Directions 

• Mix the cake mix with water, oil, eggs, and a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract until smooth 
• Use a hand mixer to blend the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar until combined. Set aside 
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• Spoon on the cake mix to cookie shapes, leaving 3″ between each cookie/pie 
• Bake 10-14 minutes until baked through 
• Allow whoopie pies to cool completely 
• Assemble whoopie pies with the cream cheese filling and sprinkle sanding sugar on the sides.  

• Dust the tops of the pies with powdered sugar (optional) 
• Enjoy! 

Recipe Card 

We hope this recipe has inspired you! If you make it, please tag us on Instagram and TikTok. We look forward to seeing your results! 

Do you have a treat you’d love PTM to create? Please leave it in the comments. 

As always, be sure to follow Perfecting the Magic on socials, where we keep you up-to-date on everything Disney!