Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Christmas Tree Cupcakes made from moist chocolate cake and topped with fluffy green buttercream frosting piped like Christmas trees, decorated with star sprinkles and colorful pearls for a cheerful treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (Betty Crocker brand recommended)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup water
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 10 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 10 tablespoons heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- Green gel food coloring
For Decorating:
- Star sprinkles
- Christmas pearls/sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Cupcake Batter: Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Add the box of chocolate cake mix and mix well until smooth and combined.
- Bake Cupcakes: Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake all cupcakes on the same oven rack to ensure even cooking.
- Cool Cupcakes: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Frosting: In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream by tablespoon, mixing until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, continuing to beat until smooth. Stir in green gel food coloring until you achieve your desired green shade.
- Decorate Cupcakes: Fit a piping bag with a 1M tip and fill it with the green buttercream frosting. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake in a circular upward motion to create a Christmas tree shape. Immediately sprinkle star sprinkles on top and decorate with Christmas pearls or sprinkles before the frosting sets.
Notes
- Add sprinkles immediately after piping the frosting so they stick well before the buttercream sets.
- For a darker green frosting, mix in tiny amounts of blue and black food coloring gel to the green frosting.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
