Christmas Decorated Cupcake Ideas

Decorating cupcakes can be fun and put many smiles on the faces young and old. These cupcakes are just a few ideas we love to make every year and bring to parties, nursing homes, and for people we care about who may need that smile.

Getting creative can be challenging sometimes when it comes to decorating and making an ordinary cupcake a work of art we have some easy ideas put together here and everything is easy to find in a local dollar store or online.

Copy the thoughts from the photos below and feel free to change and use your own fun and creative adaptions to any of these below, these cupcakes are just a guideline and fun activity for Christmas baking.

With that said, we will provide some of our favorite recipes for frostings and cupcakes however, store-bought frostings in a can and cake mixes can be used.

Scroll through the photos and when it comes to Christmas cupcake ideas and decorating easy for everyone to enjoy, this is a simple way to make festive holiday Christmas cupcakes.

If you hit print on the recipe card, all the ads will disappear so you can enjoy the recipe for vanilla cupcakes, chocolate and vanilla frosting, and decorating ideas for Christmas.

Step-by-Step Christmas Cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. grease the pan using paper  holiday paper liners  in the cupcake tins and set aside 
3. mix the batter and bake the cupcakes
4. bake the cupcakes and cool them completely
5. arrange cupcakes in large tins or cake carriers in a rectangular form and make sure you have space in between the cupcakes when setting in your trays
6. gather all the decorating ingredients make the frosting
7. frost first, add the details of what your themed cupcake will be.
8. Tip: sprinkle the sugar over a sink so as not to make a mess everywhere
9. Let dry after decorating and frosting for at least 2 hours

Suggestions and Tips for Christmas Cupcakes

• tint the frosting red or green or use a toothpick to make a swirl in white icing use sanding sugars in green and red for decorating 
• Mini and large chocolate chips for eyes or nose red hot cinnamon candy for Rudolph's nose
•  purchase assorted sprinkles and miniature candies such as snowflakes, trees, white balls, etc for decorating 
• Mini vanilla wafers are used for the reindeer face, pretzels, red hots, and candy eyes
•  add funfetti around 1/2 cup to the vanilla batter of red and green sprinkles
• Tree-topped cupcakes: buy small cutout cookies dip them in white chocolate and decorate them with sprinkles to top the cupcakes with 
• Santa Hat: use mini marshmallows for the Santa rim of the hat or vanilla piping frosting, red sanding sugar, chocolate chips for the eyes, coconut for the beard 
• purchase googly eyes for reindeer or use piping frosting 
• Reindeer: Mini pretzels for reindeer ears, mini vanilla wafers, red hots for nose, candy eyes
• Candy Cane Cupcakes: use a toothpick and swirl red gel into vanilla icing then top the cupcake with mini candy canes and red sanding sugar 
• Melting Snowman: is made with large marshmallows with chocolate piping for eyes, mouth, and hands. Red and green m & m's for the buttons and a small orange candy nose made from circular sprinkle candy

Tips

1. use a mini melon ball scoop for mini cupcakes or an ice cream scoop for regular-sized
2. make sure if using canned frosting it's mixed with powdered sugar to thicken for piping or it will lose its shape
3. decorate with a sprinkle  or any candy sanding sugar glitter while the icing is still damp
4. any cake mix can be used or frosting
5. always use paper liners for mini or full-sized cupcakes
6. best to line the box with paper lace and cover it with plastic wrap
7. leave the iced cupcakes uncovered to dry before covering to bring to the event
8. tint frosting to the Christmas holiday party colors if desired or use glitter sprinkles in the theme in red and green
9. always make sure you frost the cupcakes when cooled

Shopping List, You Will Need

• cake mix
• frosting
• white candy beads and sparkling glitter
• sprinkles, sanding sugar
• foil or cupcake carrier to fit the cupcakes in
• pastry bag and tips are optional
• offset spreading tools
• optional: food coloring for frosting
• paper liners to fit the pan you're using
• vanilla wafers, candy eyes, canned frosting, paper liners, mini pretzels, candy canes, canned frosting
• work on wax paper lined tables for easier cleanup

Cake Mix Cupcakes and Cakes That Taste Like a Bakery

Pressed for time? Here is how to transform ordinary cake mixes into a bakery-style tasting cake using any pan!

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Christmas cupcake ideas, holiday Christmas cupcake ideas, reindeer cupcakes, Santa cupcakes, Christmas tree cupcakes, candy cane cupcakes, snowman cupcakes, Christmas Decorated Cupcake Ideas

Christmas cupcake ideas, Christmas Cupcake Art, Holiday Festive Cupcake Ideas, Cupcake recipes, Cake Recipes

American

Yield: 24

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Cake Mix Christmas Cupcake Ideas

Here is an assortment of ideas on how to turn cupcakes into a festive Christmas Wonderland.

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 35 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 3 Hour

Ingredients

• Vanilla Cupcakes from Scratch or use any cake mix:
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter softened (8 tablespoons)
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup milk
• Whipped Cream Frosting or use any canned frosting you prefer:
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened or at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
• pinch of salt
• Chocolate Cupcakes or use a cake mix
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• Dark Chocolate Frosting
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons butter softened
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1/4 cup milk or more
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Instructions

1. Vanilla Cupcake Instructions:
2. With an electric mixer in a medium-sized bowl beat the sugar and butter together until light around 4 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla, eggs, and milk to blend then add the baking powder, and salt the flour a little at a time.
4. Proceed with the above instructions for cupcakes.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the centers come out clean with a toothpick.
6. Chocolate Cupcake Instructions:
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cupcake tins with a paper liner.
8. In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.
9. Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.
10. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using an electric beater.
11. Add the hot water to the batter and mix again until blended evenly.
12. The batter is soupy-looking and thin.
13. Using a ladle fill the cupcake liners only 1/2 way full, then bake for 20 minutes, until ta toothpick comes out clean in the center.
14. Cool completely before frosting.
15. Cooked Whipped Cream Frosting:
16. In a saucepan add the flour and 1/4 cup milk whisk till smooth on low heat.
17. Add the rest of the milk, then add vanilla and a pinch of salt, and cook till thickened then cool and continue to whisk mixture gets very thick.
18. Cool completely to room temperature or refrigerate to speed up the process. With an electric mixer beat the sugar and butter till light and fluffy add that all into this heavy thickened flour mixture beating for at least 5 minutes until the sugar loses its grainy look ( a good test is to take a little of this mixture between two fingers and rub together to see if sugar is dissolved or keep beating).
19. Once it looks light and fluffy it's ready to spread!
20. Chocolate Frosting Instructions:
21. Chocolate frosting: mix all the ingredients listed for the chocolate frosting above and mix until smooth, add more milk if too thick.

Notes

Suggestions and Tips for Christmas Cupcakes

1. tint the frosting red or green or use a toothpick to make a swirl in white icing
2. use sanding sugars in green and red for decorating
3. Mini and large chocolate chips for eyes or nose
4. red hot cinnamon candy for Rudolph's nose
5. purchase assorted sprinkles and miniature candies such as snowflakes, trees, white balls, etc for decorating
6. Mini vanilla wafers are used for the reindeer face, pretzels, red hots, and candy eyes
7. add funfetti around 1/2 cup to the vanilla batter of red and green sprinkles
8. Tree-topped cupcakes: buy small cutout cookies dip them in white chocolate and decorate them with sprinkles to top the cupcakes with
9. Santa Hat: use mini marshmallows for the Santa rim of the hat or vanilla piping frosting, red sanding sugar, chocolate chips for the eyes, coconut for the beard
10. purchase googly eyes for reindeer or use piping frosting
11. Reindeer: Mini pretzels for reindeer ears, mini vanilla wafers, red hots for nose, candy eyes
12. Candy Cane Cupcakes: use a toothpick and swirl red gel into vanilla icing then top the cupcake with mini candy canes and red sanding  sugar
13. Melting Snowman: is made with large marshmallows with chocolate piping for eyes, mouth, and hands. Red and green m & m's for the buttons and a small orange candy nose made from circular sprinkle candy

Tips

1. use a mini melon ball scoop for mini cupcakes or an ice cream scoop for regular-sized
2. make sure if using canned frosting you mix some  powdered sugar to thicken it for piping or it will lose its shape and go limp
3. decorate with a sprinkle or any candy sanding sugar glitter while the icing is still damp
4. any cake mix can be used or frosting
5. always use paper liners for mini or full-sized cupcakes
6. best to line the box with paper lace and cover it with plastic wrap
7. leave the iced cupcakes uncovered to dry before covering to bring to the event
8. tint frosting to the Christmas holiday party colors if desired or use glitter sprinkles in the theme in red and green
9. always make sure you frost the cupcakes when cooled

Step-by-Step Christmas Cupcakes

1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. grease the pan using paper holiday paper liners in the cupcake tins and set aside 
3. mix the batter and bake the cupcakes
4. bake the cupcakes and cool them completely
5. arrange cupcakes in large tins or cake carriers in a rectangular form and make sure you have space in between the cupcakes when setting in your trays
6. gather all the decorating ingredients make the frosting
7. frost first, add the details of what your themed cupcake will be.
8. Tip: sprinkle the sugar over a sink so as not to make a mess everywhere
9. Let dry after decorating and frosting for at least 2 hours

Nutrition Facts

Calories

488.7

Fat (grams)

23.3 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

11.61 g

Carbs (grams)

67.89 g

Fiber (grams)

1.58 g

Net carbs

66.31 g

Sugar (grams)

49.38 g

Protein (grams)

5.24 g

Sodium (milligrams)

241.67 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

86.23 mg

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https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2013/04/cake-mix-banana-cream-cupcake-recipe.html

These are all copyright-protected images and content. Do not reprint/reuse this recipe or its images without my written permission.

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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2013. It was edited and re-published in 2023.