Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes with Frosting (Print version)

Festive Christmas tree cupcakes made with soft vanilla cupcakes, fluffy frosting, sugar cone trees, and simple holiday decorations.

# Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

01 - 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) vanilla or white cake mix
02 - 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk
03 - 1/3 cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting and trees

06 - 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
07 - 4 1/2 cups (540 g) powdered sugar, plus more if needed
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
10 - 3 to 5 tablespoons (45 to 75 ml) milk or heavy cream
11 - Green gel food coloring
12 - 12 sugar cones
13 - 1/2 cup (100 g) white or green sanding sugar
14 - 1/4 cup (40 g) holiday sprinkles or candy pearls
15 - 12 star sprinkles

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
03 - Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
04 - Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons milk. Beat until fluffy, adding more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed.
05 - Spread a thick layer of white frosting over each cooled cupcake. Reserve about half the frosting for the tree cones.
06 - Tint the reserved frosting green. Hold each sugar cone from the inside and spread green frosting over the outside. Roll in sanding sugar and sprinkles while the frosting is soft.
07 - Press one frosted cone into the center of each cupcake. Add a star sprinkle to the top and let the cupcakes stand for 15 minutes before serving.

# Good to know:

01 - Decorate the cupcakes the day you serve them for the crispest cones.
02 - Use gel food coloring rather than liquid coloring to keep the frosting thick.
03 - Cupcakes can be baked 1 day ahead and stored covered at room temperature.

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