Description
These adorable Snowman Cupcakes combine rich chocolate muffins topped with creamy vanilla buttercream to resemble snowy winter fun. Each cupcake is decorated with marshmallow snowman heads, chocolate chip buttons, pretzel stick arms, and candy noses, making them perfect for festive occasions and holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Muffins
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
For the Decoration
- 12 large marshmallows
- 1½ tablespoons dark chocolate sprinkles (jimmies or vermicelli)
- 12 orange candy-coated chocolates or small candy corn pieces (noses)
- 24 mini pretzel sticks, halved (arms)
- 36 regular chocolate chips (buttons)
Instructions
- Prep: Heat the oven to 350 °F / 175 °C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with bright blue paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, natural cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a mixer on medium speed, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the creamed mixture, scraping down the bowl after each addition for even mixing. Then blend in the pure vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir gently just until there are no flour streaks to avoid overmixing.
- Bake: Evenly divide the batter among the lined muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Buttercream: Beat softened butter until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Blend in vanilla extract, salt, and enough heavy cream or milk to achieve a thick but pipeable consistency. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and whip for 1 minute to incorporate air.
- Pipe Snow Piles: Fit a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe two stacked concentric circles of the buttercream on each cooled muffin to resemble piled snow.
- Create Snowman Heads: Press two dark chocolate sprinkles (nonpareils) into each marshmallow for eyes. Arrange five sprinkles in a curved line to form a smiling mouth. Push an orange candy-coated chocolate or candy corn piece halfway into the center for the nose. Use tweezers or the tip of a toothpick for precise placement.
- Assemble: Place each decorated marshmallow atop the buttercream swirl. Insert two mini pretzel halves at a slight upward angle into the frosting to create arms. Press three regular chocolate chips vertically down the front for buttons.
- Serve: Present the snowman cupcakes on a cool platter to keep the buttercream firm. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- If dark chocolate nonpareils are not available, create micro dots by melting 2 tablespoons of semisweet chocolate, transferring it to a piping bag fitted with a size-1 tip, piping tiny rounds onto parchment paper, chilling them for 5 minutes, and then using these as eyes and smiles.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa will give a deeper color to the muffins; if you choose Dutch-process, reduce the baking soda amount to ¼ teaspoon to balance acidity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
