Description
Delight in these festive Christmas Tree Cupcakes featuring rich chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy white and green buttercream frosting shaped into Christmas trees using ice cream cones for a stunning holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Frosting and Christmas Trees
- 12 sugar cones
- 2 lbs (910g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1 pound (454g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30mL) milk or cream
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
- 20 drops green food coloring
For the Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 1/2 cup (118mL) buttermilk
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream
- 1 1/3 cups (267g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60mL) strong coffee
- 1/2 cup (115g) melted butter (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cupcake Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Sift together the dry ingredients including flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream, and optional melted butter until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: With your mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix for about a minute or less until just combined, avoiding overmixing for tender cupcakes.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Scoop approximately three tablespoons of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Cream the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat on high speed. Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until you achieve your desired frosting consistency. Divide the frosting in half; add green food coloring to one half and mix thoroughly.
- Assemble the Christmas Trees: Cover each cupcake with the white frosting. Texture it slightly to resemble snow. Using a spatula, apply a thin layer of green buttercream onto the surface of the sugar cones to help the piped dollops stick better and achieve full green coverage. Optionally, fill the cones with candy for a surprise.
- Pipe the Tree Frosting: Using a piping bag fitted with a #30 star tip (or any small to medium star or leaf tip), pipe star-shaped dollops of green frosting onto the sugar cone starting from the bottom and working upwards to form the tree shape.
- Finish and Serve: Dust the cupcakes with additional confectioners’ sugar to mimic snow on the trees. Serve and enjoy your festive Christmas tree cupcakes!
Notes
- Adding a half teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the batter enhances the chocolate flavor beautifully; peppermint oil can also be used for a festive twist.
- For an extra surprise, fill the sugar cone with candy before frosting and assembling the tree.
- Generous dusting of powdered sugar adds realistic snow effect and elevates the presentation.
- If you don’t have a #30 piping tip, a small to medium star or leaf tip works well for creating the tree dollops.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting and cone
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
