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Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Christmas Tree Cupcakes, a simple Christmas dessert that looks impressive and tastes delicious!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Decorating Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 Cupcakes
Calories 524kcal
Author Lisa

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional

For the frosting:

  • 2 cups butter cold and cut into chunks
  • 10 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs vanilla
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbs heavy cream
  • Pinch of salt

Additional Items:

  • Green Gel Food Coloring
  • 1 M Piping Tip
  • Piping Bags
  • Golden Star Sprinkles
  • Holiday Sprinkles

Instructions

How to make the cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  • Mix together, either by hand or in a stand mixer, the oil, sour cream, heavy cream and eggs. Then mix in the boxed cake mix, cocoa powder, and espresso powder if using.
    ½ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cup sour cream, ¾ cup heavy cream, 4 eggs, 1 box chocolate cake mix, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • Scoop the batter into your cupcake liners, I like using a ¼ measuring cup.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Make sure to bake all the cakes on the same oven rack so they bake evenly.
  • Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

How to make the frosting (this is a double recipe of my standard vanilla buttercream):

  • In a stand mixer, whip your butter chunks on medium high speed until the butter is light and fluffy.
    2 cups butter
  • Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time
    10 cups powdered sugar
  • Once the powdered sugar becomes hard to incorporate add in the vanilla, heavy cream, and pinch of salt, allowing the ingredients to incorporate fully.
    2 tbs vanilla, ½ cup plus 2 tbs heavy cream, Pinch of salt
  • Add in green gel food coloring until you get the green you are looking for.
    Green Gel Food Coloring

How to decorate cupcakes:

  • Using your 1M piping tip and the green frosting frost your cupcakes. You want to build the frosting up while moving the bag and tip in a circular motion.
    1 M Piping Tip, Piping Bags
    process shots of piping the tree on top
  • Place a star at the top and then use other sprinkles to decorate the tree.
    Golden Star Sprinkles, Holiday Sprinkles
    Christmas Tree Cupcakes featured image

Video

Notes

Tips
  • Add sprinkles right after you make the tree. If the frosting sets up the sprinkles won't stick.
  • To make a darker green colored frosting stir in a tiny bit of blue and black food coloring gel to the green frosting.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 288mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 759IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg