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Christmas Cupcakes
These rich chocolate cupcakes are easy and delicious, and a bit of gel color and maybe a few sprinkles are all you need to decorate! Grab your piping bags and a few sprinkles for a fun pop of extra color and sparkle!
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 325kcal
Equipment
- 2 Cupcake tins (24 cups total)
- 1 large piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that includes both; large tip is very similar to Ateco's #828)
- 1 small piping bag + tips (linked is a set that includes bags and both tips; middle tip is similar to Wilton's 1M and small similar to Wilton closed star / #35.)
- Christmas Sprinkles (I used Sweetapolita's 'Christmas Crackers' in the video; this ManVCakes Christmas mix is very similar if Sweetapolita is out of stock :)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 Ā¼ cups all purpose flour (350g)
- 2 Ā¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)
- 1 Ā¼ cup cocoa powder (100g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Ā¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (16 Tablespoons, 2 sticks)
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 Ā½ cups buttermilk (350mL)
- 2 t vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 8 oz one package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup butter, softened softened (16 Tablespoons, 2 sticks)
- 6-7 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
- 3-4 drops Green gel food color (save and use later; I used Americolor Leaf Green)
- 3-5 drops Red gel food color (save and use later; I used Americolor Super Red)
Chocolate Ganache filling (optional)
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 6 ounces heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (180C) or 325 F (160C) for a convection oven. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in bits of softened butter until no lumps of butter are visible and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula, and beat on medium speed for another 20 seconds.
- Fill each paper 2/3 full (using a large cookie scoop to transfer the batter makes this a quick and easy process). (You may find that you have some batter left over - I don't recommend over-filling the cupcake tins as they may overflow.)
- Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting. (The hang time while your cupcakes are cooling is a great time to make your filling and frosting!)
Frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. I recommend making it thin enough to pipe, but thick enough to hold its shape. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.
- Divide frosting in half ā leave half white; youāll need the most white to cover the cupcakes. Divide the remaining half into thirds, and color 2/3 green and 1/3 red.
Chocolate Ganache Filling (optional)
- Combine chocolate and whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on half power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth. Chill until thick enough to pipe (this took about 10 minutes in my freezer).
- With a plastic knife or aĀ cupcake corer, remove about a 1/2" core from each of your cupcakes. Fill each core with chocolate ganache - you can use a spoon, but I find a piping bag much easier and less messy.
Decorating
- On to the fun part! Transfer your frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large tip ā I used a large star tip from this set of large tipsĀ similar to Ateco's #828. Pipe white frosting in large swirls onto your cupcakes.
- Transfer your green frosting to a standard size bag fitted with a large open star tip (similar toĀ Wilton's 1M tip). Add a smaller circle of green frosting over the white.
- Last, transfer your red frosting to a standard size bag fitted with a closed star ā I used a tip from my set similar to theĀ Wilton closed star / #35. Pipe small red swirls on top of the green ones.
- Add sprinkles to your liking - I added a large colored ball to the top of each cupcake and a dusting of smaller sprinkles over the entire batch. Step back, give yourself a high-five, and admire your adorable cupcakes!
Video
Notes
Please note nutrition informationĀ is anĀ estimateĀ and may not be exactly accurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.5g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 18.9g
Did you make these Christmas Cupcakes?
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Other Christmas recipes you may love...
(Click / tap the photos to be taken to the recipe pages!)
Christmas Color Cake
Christmas Light Cupcakes
English Toffee
I am having an 80th birthday. How much would 20 cupcakes ( festive) cost?
A birthday cake for 20?
I’m sorry I missed this comment! Cost varies quite a bit per bakery; I only fill local orders so I’m afraid I can’t help much unless you’re close to the Knoxville TN area. Your best bet is to contact local bakers and get quotes directly from them!