Description
These Easy Christmas Cupcakes are a delightful holiday treat featuring moist vanilla or chocolate cupcakes topped with festive, colorful buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrating the season, they are simple to make and decorated with vibrant red and green frosting and holiday-themed sprinkles or candies.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box – typically eggs, oil, and water)
- cupcake liners
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- red and green food coloring
- holiday-themed sprinkles or candy decorations
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Muffin Tin: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners to ensure the cupcakes don’t stick.
- Make the Batter: Prepare the cake mix following the package instructions, usually involving adding eggs, oil, and water. Mix until smooth.
- Fill the Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow space for rising.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting to prevent melting the buttercream.
- Prepare the Buttercream Frosting: Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla extract and milk or heavy cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Color the Frosting: Divide the frosting into two or three bowls. Tint each bowl with red and green food coloring, leaving one plain white if preferred.
- Decorate: Transfer frosting into piping bags fitted with star or round tips and pipe festive swirls on each cupcake. Finish by adding holiday-themed sprinkles or candy decorations.
Notes
- You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and frost them just before serving to keep the frosting fresh.
- For a quick alternative, use store-bought frosting and decorate with festive sprinkles or candies.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
