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Easy Santa Hat Cupcakes

Festive holiday cupcakes topped with bright red buttercream Santa hats and fluffy white trim.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Autumn
Calories: 305
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cupcakes
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup milk
Santa Hat Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • red gel food coloring
  • mini marshmallows for hat tops
  • white sprinkles optional decoration

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Baking sheet
  • Wire rack
  • Piping bag and tips

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with liners.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Beat butter until creamy, then add eggs and vanilla.
  4. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk until smooth.
  5. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 18–20 minutes.
  6. Beat butter for 3 minutes, add powdered sugar gradually.
  7. Add cream and vanilla to make fluffy buttercream.
  8. Set aside some white buttercream; tint the rest red.
  9. Pipe tall red hat swirls on cooled cupcakes.
  10. Pipe white trim at the base and top with marshmallows.

Notes

Let red buttercream rest to deepen in color.