Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Chocolate Christmas Tree Cupcakes topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and adorable green candy melt pretzel stick Christmas trees. Rich chocolate cupcakes are adorned with sweetened coconut flakes to emulate snow and finished with colorful sprinkles for a whimsical touch. Perfect for holiday parties and gifting, these cupcakes combine moistness, decadent flavor, and playful decoration.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup green candy melts
- 1 cup pretzel sticks
- Assorted sprinkles
- 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut flakes
For the Frosting:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with baking cups to prepare for the cupcakes.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside this dry mixture.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then incorporate the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and whole milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Baking Cups and Bake: Scoop the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.
- Make Christmas Tree Toppers: While cupcakes cool, melt the green candy melts according to package instructions. Transfer melted candy to a piping bag. Arrange pretzel sticks on a wax paper-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 to 3 inches apart. Pipe the candy melts over the pretzel sticks in a Christmas tree shape and immediately sprinkle with assorted sprinkles. Refrigerate the sheet for 10 minutes until the trees harden.
- Prepare Frosting: In the stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and well blended. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, mixing just until combined to keep it creamy.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Spread a small amount of cream cheese frosting on top of each cooled cupcake, then sprinkle generously with shredded sweetened coconut flakes to resemble snow. Carefully lift the hardened candy melt pretzel trees from the baking sheet using an offset spatula and insert the bottom of each tree into the frosting on top of the cupcakes.
- Serve or Store: Serve cupcakes immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- For best results, frost cupcakes and immediately sprinkle with coconut flakes as the cream cheese frosting will slightly set over time.
- Christmas tree toppers can also be used to decorate cakes for a festive touch.
- The candy melt tree toppers can be made up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Try a white chocolate variation for a snowy effect, adding crushed peppermint pieces for extra holiday flair.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
