Description
Soft vanilla cupcakes topped with piped green buttercream trees—festive, easy, and perfect for holiday parties or bake sales.
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKES:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup hot coffee
BUTTERCREAM:
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–3 1/2 cups (360–420 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Green gel food color
DECOR:
- Star sprinkles, sugar pearls, sanding sugar, coconut flakes
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk and sour cream; do not overmix.
5. Divide batter; bake 17–20 minutes; cool completely.
6. Beat butter until creamy; add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and cream to a fluffy, pipeable consistency. Tint green.
7. Pipe tall tree swirls with a star tip (#1M or #846).
8. Decorate with stars, pearls, and sanding sugar. Chill briefly to set.
Notes
For pastel trees, use minimal green and pastel sprinkles.
For pinecone cupcakes, use chocolate buttercream and almond slices.
Cupcakes freeze well undecorated; thaw and decorate the day of serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 36g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 85mg