Description

These festive Christmas Tree Cupcakes are a delightful holiday treat featuring rich chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy white frosting and topped with sugar cone trees decorated with green buttercream. Perfect for Christmas parties, these cupcakes combine a moist chocolate base with whimsical tree decorations dusted with powdered sugar to resemble snowy Christmas trees.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Frosting and Christmas Trees

12 sugar cones
2 lbs confectioners’ sugar (910g), plus more for dusting
1 pound unsalted butter (454g), room temperature
1-2 tbsp milk or cream (15-30mL)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5mL)
20 drops green food coloring

For the Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (60g)
1 tsp baking soda (6g)
1/2 tsp salt (3g)
1/2 cup buttermilk (118mL)
1/4 cup sour cream (60g)
1 1/3 cups sugar (267g)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (5mL)
1/4 cup strong coffee (60mL)
1/2 cup melted butter (115g), optional

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners to prepare for baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl to combine and aerate the dry ingredients evenly.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream, and optionally, melted butter for richer cupcakes.
Mix Batter: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed. Continue mixing for about one minute or less until fully combined.
Scoop and Bake: Scoop approximately three tablespoons of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the Frosting: Cream the unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix on high speed. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Split the frosting; add green food coloring to half and mix thoroughly.
Prepare the Sugar Cone Trees: Using a spatula, apply a thin layer of green buttercream to the outside of each sugar cone to help the frosting dollops adhere and to ensure full green coverage.
Decorate the Trees: Using a piping bag fitted with a number 30 star tip or a small to medium star/leaf tip, pipe star-shaped dollops of green frosting on the cones starting from the bottom and working your way to the top to create a tree effect.
Assemble Cupcakes: Cover each cupcake with white frosting, allowing some texture to resemble snow. Optional: fill the sugar cone with candy before placing on top of the cupcake for a surprise inside.
Final Touch: Dust the assembled cupcakes and trees with confectioners’ sugar to mimic snow and add extra festive charm. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

For enhanced chocolate flavor, add a half teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the cupcake batter.
For a festive twist, try adding half a teaspoon of peppermint oil in the batter or frosting.
Fill the sugar cones with candy before piping frosting and placing them on cupcakes for a delightful surprise.
Dust the completed cupcakes generously with powdered sugar for a realistic snowy effect.
If you don’t have a #30 piping tip, any small to medium star or leaf tip will work well to pipe the trees.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake with tree
Calories: 380 kcal
Sugar: 40 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg