Description
Festive, moist Christmas Tree Cupcakes topped with beautifully piped green buttercream Christmas trees. Beginner-friendly, make-ahead friendly, and always a crowd favorite during the holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour (Sifted)
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Unsalted butter (Softened)
- 2 large Eggs (Room temperature)
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Whole milk (Room temperature)
- 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Fine salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (Room temperature)
- 3–4 cups Powdered sugar (Sifted)
- 2–3 tbsp Heavy cream (As needed for consistency)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring (Add drop by drop)
- 1 pinch Salt (Balances sweetness)
- 1/8 tsp Almond extract (Optional “secret ingredient”)
- Rainbow sprinkles (Christmas-style colors)
- Mini candy stars (For tree toppers)
- Edible pearls (Or small dragees)
- Gold sugar dust (Optional sparkle)
- Holiday cupcake toppers (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, folding gently.
- Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake 18–20 minutes without opening the oven early. Test doneness with a toothpick. Cool 5 minutes, then move cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
- Beat butter for 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar gradually. Mix in heavy cream and vanilla. Tint with green gel food coloring until desired shade is reached. Add almond extract if using.
- Add frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a spiral from the base upward to form a Christmas tree shape, finishing with a pointed peak.
- Add sprinkles, edible pearls, and a candy star topper while frosting is soft. Dust with edible glitter if desired. Chill briefly to set.
Notes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg