Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Fun to make and even more delicious to eat, these Christmas Tree Cupcakes can be ready in under an hour! The cocoa-flavored cupcakes form the perfect earthy looking base for the green Christmas tree topper cones!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup applesauce, sweetened
- ½ cup baking cocoa
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water
- 12 sugar cones
- Sprinkles and other candied decorations
- 1 ½ sticks butter (softened)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
- 2 small star tips and 2 small piping bags
Instructions
- 1
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan and line with cupcake liners and set aside.
- 2
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute and then on high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- 4
Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating the first for one minute,before adding the next and beating that egg for one minute before adding in the next one. Mix 1 minute.
- 5
Next you are going to alternate adding in the dry ingredientsand applesauce into the wet ingredients. You should begin with the dry and end with the dry (so a cup of the dry, ¼ of the apple sauce, etc.). Repeat till all the ingredients are mixed. Beat on low speed until mixed together. Add in the water until well incorporated.
- 6
Fill muffin cups 2/3 with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes, oruntil a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- 7
In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute and then on high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and milk.
- 8
Add in 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add in the rest of the powdered sugar until the frosting forms stiff peaks.
- 9
Put aside 1/3 of the frosting and add in the food coloring to the remaining 2/3.
- 10
Prepare your piping bags and add the plain frosting to one piping bag and frost a thin layer on top of the cupcakes.
- 11
Turn the ice cream cones upside down onto the cupcakes.
- 12
Add the green frosting to the second bag and frost each cone in any pattern you like. The most important thing is to have fun 😊
- 13
Decorate the trees with the candy decorations and enjoy!