Santa hat cupcakes
Festive Santa hat cupcakes made with soft chocolate cupcakes and a tall swirl of red buttercream. Mini marshmallows create the fluffy trim and pom-pom. They look cheerful on a holiday tray and are simple to decorate.
Equipment
- Large round piping tip (1A)
- Piping bag
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz box)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Red Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk (or cream)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red gel food coloring
Decorating
- 48 mini marshmallows (for trim)
- 24 mini marshmallows (whole, for the pom-pom)
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the cake mix, eggs, milk, melted butter, and sour cream in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fill each liner about ⅔ full.
- Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Red Buttercream
- Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low until it comes together, then whip on medium for 2 minutes until light.
- Tint with red gel food coloring until the shade is deep enough for Santa hats. If needed, add a small splash of milk for a softer consistency.
Decorating
- Fit a piping bag with a 1A round tip and fill with red frosting.
- Pipe a tall swirl in the center of each cupcake to form a hat shape.
- Cut mini marshmallows in half and place them around the base of the frosting for the trim.
- Add one whole mini marshmallow at the top as the pom-pom.
Notes
- Cool the cupcakes fully so the frosting stands tall.
- You can make this a quick project by using store bought plain uniced cupcakes and icing tubs.
- Red gel food coloring gives a bold color without thinning the frosting.
- Cut marshmallows with clean scissors. Dip scissors in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Pipe taller swirls for a more clear hat shape.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 192mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 431IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg
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