Last-Minute Christmas Cupcakes
If you’re short on time but still want to serve something festive and fun, these Christmas cupcakes come together in a flash.
I use my trusty non-stick muffin pan and line it with cupcake cases to bake the muffins. You can choose from a wide variety of festive cupcake cases or use what you have on hand
To make the cupcakes like mini Christmas trees, I colour my buttercream with green gel-based food colouring and pipe big rosettes using a large open star tip.
Adding some festive sprinkles at the end bring everything to life.
With soft, fluffy cake bases and no need for fancy skills, these are perfect for holiday gatherings, school parties, or cosy baking afternoons with the kids.
For more quick and festive ideas, see my full roundup of Last-Minute Christmas Bakes here.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 120g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 250g icing sugar, sifted
- Green gel food colouring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- TO DECORATE:
- Store-bought Christmas sprinkles (red, white, green)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (fan 160°C). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix gently until just combined, then add the milk and stir to loosen the batter slightly.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cases and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until light. Add the icing sugar gradually, then mix in the vanilla and enough milk to reach a pipeable consistency. Tint with green gel colouring.
- Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe tall swirls onto each cupcake to resemble a Christmas tree.
- Sprinkle over festive nonpareils or your favourite sprinkles. Serve with hot chocolate or a cup of tea.
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