Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Santa Hat Cupcakes featuring moist devil’s food chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy red and white cream cheese frosting, shaped to resemble adorable Santa hats with a touch of red sanding sugar for sparkle.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box Devil’s food cake mix
Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red food coloring
- Red sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Prepare the devil’s food cake batter according to the package instructions. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy, indicating it is well combined and smooth.
- Color Frosting: Remove about one third of the frosting into a smaller bowl to remain white. Add red food coloring to the larger portion of frosting in the big bowl. Mix thoroughly until the frosting is evenly colored a vibrant red.
- Decorate Cupcakes: Using a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip, pipe the red frosting in a conical swirl on top of each cupcake to resemble a Santa hat. Lightly sprinkle the red sanding sugar over the red frosting for sparkle. Then, using a smaller star tip and the white frosting, pipe a rim along the base and a small pom-pom at the peak of the red frosting to complete the Santa hat look.
Notes
- You can use homemade chocolate cupcakes if you prefer over box mix.
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- For best piping results, chill the frosting slightly if it’s too soft.
- Red sanding sugar adds a festive shimmer and texture to the frosting.
- These cupcakes can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
