Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Tree Cupcakes, perfect for holiday celebrations. Fluffy, moist cupcakes are topped with a creamy, vibrant green buttercream frosting piped to look like Christmas trees, adorned with colorful sprinkles and decorations to bring holiday cheer to your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes:
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites
Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Green gel food coloring, to desired shade
- Sprinkles and toppings of your choice for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening and flavor.
- Add wet ingredients and combine: Pour in the buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form, then gently fold these into the batter to add lightness and volume.
- Fill cupcake liners: Using a small cookie scoop, portion the batter into the liners, filling each about halfway to prevent overflow during baking.
- Bake the cupcakes: Place the muffin tins in the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the unsalted butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Start mixing on low speed to incorporate ingredients, then gradually increase speed as the mixture thickens.
- Color and whip the frosting: Add green gel food coloring incrementally until your desired shade is reached. Beat the frosting on high for 10-15 minutes until it becomes fluffy and light in texture.
- Decorate cupcakes: Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake in a swirl pattern to mimic the shape of a Christmas tree. Finish by adding sprinkles and other festive toppings to enhance the holiday look.
Notes
- Ensure the egg whites are whipped to medium-stiff peaks for a fluffy cupcake texture.
- Filling cupcake liners halfway helps prevent overflow during baking.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant frosting without altering the consistency.
- Let cupcakes cool completely prior to frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
- Customize decorations with edible glitter, mini candy canes, or colored sugars for festive flair.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
