If you're hosting friends and family this holiday season and want to serve up some tasty, festive treats, these easy Christmas tree cupcakes are the perfect recipe for you. Christmas tree cupcakes are super simple to make and have a rich flavor and incredibly soft, moist texture.
Christmas tree cupcakes are ideal if you're having a large group of people over for an informal Christmas dinner or as a sweet to serve at a holiday cocktail party with friends. It's also a great recipe to make with your kids this holiday season – they'll love decorating these irresistible festive cupcakes!
How to Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes
You'll love how easy it is to make Christmas tree cupcakes at home. Start by preparing the cake box mix according to the instructions on the box, making sure to add the rainbow sprinkles to the batter. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, then bake the cupcakes for 19 to 22 minutes at 350F. Take them out and let them cool completely – if you don't the frosting will melt!
When the cupcakes have cooled, scoop the green frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. Starting in the middle of the cupcake, pipe the frosting onto the cupcake working around to form a tree shape.
Garnish the frosting trees with nonpareils and sprinkles. Decorate each treetop with a Sixlet. Place the Starbursts along the bottom of each tree. Transfer white frosting to a piping bag. Draw lines on each Starburst to form ribbons. Voila! Festive, fun Christmas tree cupcakes that your friends and family will love.
Tips for the Best Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Using boxed cake mix is one of the reasons this cupcake recipe is so effortless, but if you have a tried and true cupcake recipe you prefer, use it instead!
If you don't have a piping bag, you can cut the corner off a plastic sandwich bag and use it to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.
Your cupcakes are ready to come out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly crumb-free.
Christmas Tree Cupcakes Variations
There are so many fun variations you can try for your festive cupcakes.
Use different cupcake flavors (chocolate or red velvet are always popular).
Decorate the cupcakes with pretzel sticks for a tasty salty-sweet combination, or try different flavors of buttercream. There's loads of room to flex your creative muscle.
How to Store Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Keep your Christmas tree cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
They'll last up to one week in the fridge but may dry out slightly.
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
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Whisk the cake mix with the additional ingredients listed on the box. In general, add the milk.
Whisk the cake mix with the additional ingredients listed on the box. In general, add the milk.
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Another ingredient you can add is the oil.
Another ingredient you can add is the oil.
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Mix until completely combined.
Mix until completely combined.
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Pour the batter into the liners.
Pour the batter into the liners.
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Fill them about halfway.
Fill them about halfway.
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Bake for 19 to 22 minutes.
Bake for 19 to 22 minutes.
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Take the cupcakes out of the oven and leave them on a wire rack to cool completely. In the meantime, bake the second batch of cupcakes.
Take the cupcakes out of the oven and leave them on a wire rack to cool completely. In the meantime, bake the second batch of cupcakes.
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When the cupcakes have cooled, transfer the green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip.
When the cupcakes have cooled, transfer the green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip.
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Starting in the middle of the cupcake.
Starting in the middle of the cupcake.
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Pipe the frosting onto the cupcake working around to form a tree shape.
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcake working around to form a tree shape.
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Repeat on each cupcake.
Repeat on each cupcake.
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Garnish the frosting trees with nonpareils and sprinkles.
Garnish the frosting trees with nonpareils and sprinkles.
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Place a Sixlet on each treetop. Place the Starbursts along the bottom of each tree. Transfer white frosting to a piping bag. Draw lines on each Starburst to form ribbons.
Place a Sixlet on each treetop. Place the Starbursts along the bottom of each tree. Transfer white frosting to a piping bag. Draw lines on each Starburst to form ribbons.
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Serve and enjoy!
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Use room-temperature ingredients when you're making the cupcakes.
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