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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    Published: Nov 17, 2020 · Modified: Apr 21, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    This easy Christmas tree cupcakes recipe is a festive twist on the classic cupcake. You will love how quickly they come together.

    Rich, moist cupcakes topped with easy-to-make Christmas tree tops made from buttercream frosting piped with an open-star tip, TWIZZLERS Pull 'N' Peel and colorful sprinkles!

    A hero shot of a Christmas Tree cupcake looking super tasty.

    Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    What could be more festive than little Christmas tree cupcakes? I think they look pretty good but the surprising part was HOW EASY it was to make them!

    You basically just pipe green icing in the general shape of a Christmas tree and decorate with star-shaped sprinkles.

    Finished Christmas tree cupcakes with one taken off the serving platter and sitting on a wooden coaster with a bite taken out of it.

    How Fun is this Recipe!?

    If these cute and simple Christmas tree cupcakes don’t inspire you to get into the kitchen this holiday season, I don’t know what will.

    You’re probably thinking they take forever to make and a bunch of special tools that you don’t have…totally wrong!

    A close-up shot of finished Christmas tree cupcakes.

    They’re so easy and while the cupcakes are made from scratch, you can get the buttercream frosting at your local Walmart. We’re keeping things simple this year!

    A beautifully styled shot of festive-looking Christmas tree cupcakes.

    This is a fun and festive dessert perfect for Christmastime. You can whip up these yummy cupcakes in less than an hour and get decorating in no time.

    A single cupcake with green icing and colorful sprinkles decorated to look like a Christmas tree.

    Fun and Easy to Make

    I love how these cupcakes turned out. The cake itself is super moist and fluffy and the frosting is sweet and rich. The sprinkles and candy decorations bring this tasty treat to the next level as lights on the tree-shaped cupcake...or are they presents?

    This recipe for Christmas Tree Cupcakes takes less than an hour to make. And the best part? You can make them ahead of time and save them to serve later.

    Decorating is the best part, and these are a great idea for easy Christmas tree cupcakes for cupcake decorating parties. And they’re also easy to make Christmas tree cupcakes for kids. They’ll have so much fun decorating their “trees” with sprinkles and stars.

    The Cutest Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    I've included some step-by-step pics for how to make Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes in the recipe. I’ve given a few tips in the recipe as well.

    These cute little Christmas tree cupcakes are the perfect special treat for the holidays. They’re easy to make, adorable and kids love them. Great food doesn’t have to be complicated!

    How to Make Perfect Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    These Christmas tree cupcakes are so easy to make, and are a super fun treat if you want to make some cute, themed food this Christmas.

    This cupcake recipe can be easily doubled or halved if you need a different amount of cupcakes. As written it makes 12.

    I recommend serving this festive dessert during the holiday season. Although really, who needs Christmas as an excuse to make these delicious snacks?

    Cupcakes are a welcome treat year round. Fortunately, it is very easy to make them look like special Christmas cupcakes, festively dressed in green frosting and red and green sprinkles.

    And let’s be honest, cupcakes are really just frosting delivery vehicles, aren’t they? The more the better when it comes to the sweet creamy stuff on top.

    A cupcake with a bite taken out. The cake looks moisty and crumbly.

    It’s time to put up the tree!

    These cupcakes are generously topped with green buttercream to get its holiday look.

    To turn an ordinary batch of cupcakes into Christmas trees, all you need is some green food color to dye your frosting a festive shade of green, and an assortment of holiday-themed sprinkles. Although you can also purchase green buttercream frosting, which is what I did for this recipe.

    A star-tipped pastry bag will help you get that conical, tree shape. but it’s quite easy to make these look like Christmas treats, even if your piped tree shapes aren’t perfect. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely, though, before frosting them or that tree will melt right off.

    You can obviously use a boxed mix to save time, or if you need to make many batches of these for a function. But making cupcakes from scratch is actually quite easy and you’ll be rewarded with that fresh, homemade taste.

    And this recipe is so tasty, you’ve got to try it!

    Styled photograph of finished Christmas tree cupcakes with green icing and colorful sprinkles on top looking like Christmas tree lights.

    Ingredients in Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    • cake flour
    • baking soda
    • baking powder
    • salted butter
    • sugar
    • milk
    • eggs
    • vanilla extract
    • rainbow sprinkles
    • 2-3 TWIZZLERS Pull 'N' Peel
    • 16 oz green buttercream frosting (Almas brand, Wilton, or Pillsbury. We used Almas, found at your local Walmart)
    • icing or powdered sugar for a little dusting of snow
    Photograph of yummy-looking Christmas tree cupcakes.

    How to Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    In a large bowl, mix cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

    In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and whisk.

    Then, add milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.

    Add to the larger bowl with the flour and mix until smooth.

    Place cupcake wrappers in a muffin tin.

    Pour batter into each and fill ⅔ full.

    Place in the oven for 22 minutes.

    Remove from the oven and place the cupcakes on a rack to cool completely before you start to decorate, otherwise the frosting will not stay on the cupcake.

    Scoop buttercream frosting into a piping bag with an open star tip. You can also use a resealable bag if you do not have a piping bag. The open star tip will make the ridges in the tree needed to hold the sprinkles.

    Additionally, a cake decorating tool will work well for this, if available.

    Make a quarter size circle in the middle of the cupcake. (This is the circle you will trace the frosting around to form a tree. The circle will also prevent the frosting from sinking in the middle.)

    Starting from the outside, slowly ice the cupcake in a swirl pattern, with each layer slightly overlapping the other.

    Continue until you are in the middle of the cupcake.

    Push the icing down and quickly pull up to form the tree tip.

    Unwrap twizzler pull and peels and wrap around the bottom of the cupcake to make a tree skirt.

    Sprinkle the sprinkles atop the Christmas tree.

    Place a star at the top and enjoy!

    If you are a follower of this blog you will know that I love cupcakes! Perfect for holidays or any time of the year!

    Close-up shot of decorated Christmas Tree cupcakes with green icing and colored sprinkles.

    Christmas Cupcake Recipes

    Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

    Caramel Apple Cupcakes 

    Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes

    The Easiest Caramel Infused Chocolate Cupcakes

    Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes

    Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes

    This easy Christmas tree cupcakes recipe is a festive twist on the classic cupcake. You will love how quickly they come together.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 22 minutes mins
    Decorating Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 47 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 244 kcal

    Equipment

    • muffin pan (12 holes)
    • Measuring cups and spoons
    • cupcake liner
    • large bowl
    • whisk
    • Hand mixer
    • piping bag or resealable bag with corner cut off

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups cake flour
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ cup softened salted butter
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ cup milk
    • 3 eggs
    • ¼ tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
    • 2-3 twizzler pull and peels
    • 16 oz green buttercream frosting (almas brand wilton, or pillsbury. We used Almas, found at your local walmart)
    • Star shaped sprinkles
    • powdered or icing sugar for a little dusting of snow

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get you all of your ingredients!
    • In a large bowl, mix cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar.
    • Add eggs and whisk. Then, add milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
    • Add to the larger bowl with the flour and mix until smooth.
    • Place cupcake wrappers in a muffin tin. Pour batter into each and fill ⅔ full. Place in the oven for 22 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely before you start to decorate, otherwise the frosting will not stay on the cupcake.
    • Scoop buttercream frosting into a piping bag with an open star tip. You can also use a resealable bag if you do not have a piping bag. The open star tip will make the ridges in the tree needed to hold the sprinkles.
    • Make a quarter size circle in the middle of the cupcake. (This is the circle you will trace the frosting around to form a tree. The circle will also prevent the frosting from sinking in the middle.)
    • Starting from the outside, slowly ice the cupcake in a swirl pattern, with each layer slightly overlapping the other. Continue until you are in the middle of the cupcake. Push the icing down and quickly pull up to form the tree tip.
    • Unwrap twizzler pull and peels and wrap around the bottom of the cupcake to make a tree skirt.
    • Sprinkle the sprinkles atop the christmas tree. Place a star at the top and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 121mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 313IUCalcium: 34mgIron: 0.4mg
    Keyword christmas dessert, Christmas tree cupcakes, easy cupcakes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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