Christmas tree cupcakes are tender vanilla cupcakes topped with green buttercream “trees”. These easy Christmas cupcakes are as tasty as they are festive!
Christmas is a time for celebration, family, and of course, delicious food. And what better way to spread holiday cheer than with these delightful Christmas tree cupcakes?
The base of these cupcakes is a moist and tender vanilla cupcake. The cupcakes are the perfect canvas for the festive green buttercream “trees” that adorn them.
These cupcakes are not only beautiful to look at, but they’re also incredibly tasty! The sweet vanilla cupcakes are topped with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting. They’re the perfect treat for any Christmas party or gathering.
So get into the holiday spirit and bake up a batch of these festive cupcakes! They’re sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Unsalted butter: If you’re using salted butter, omit the butter in the cupcakes and the frosting.
- White chocolate: I recommend using white baking chocolate because white chocolate chips can have additives that make them difficult to melt.
- Milk: Whole milk will give you softer cupcakes. However, you can use 1% or 2% milk if you prefer.
- Vanilla extract: You can use clear vanilla extract for whiter cupcakes. Also, feel free to use a different type of flavoring.
How to make Christmas tree cupcakes
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.
Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin tins with muffin papers. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the white chocolate to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 20 second intervals until completely melted, stirring between each interval.
Step 4: Add the white chocolate to the sugar mixture, and beat until incorporated.
Step 5: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Be careful to not overmix.
Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they form medium peaks.
Step 7: Gently fold the egg whites into the cupcake batter until incorporated.
Step 8: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins, filling each about ⅔ of the way.
Step 9: Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Step 10: Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
Step 11: Remove to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely.
Frosting
Step 12: To make the buttercream, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and salt together on low for 30 seconds.
Step 13: Increase speed to medium high and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
Step 14: Beat in the vanilla and heavy cream, adding more heavy cream as needed to make the correct consistency.
Step 15: Beat in desired amount of food coloring.
Step 16: Transfer to a piping bag with a swirl tip and pipe the frosting into a tall swirl that resembles a tree shape.
Step 17: Decorate with sprinkles, then dust with powdered sugar to look like “snow”.
Recipe Tips!
- Cupcake liners: Brown cupcake liners or brown parchment cupcake liners will give you more of a tree stump look at the bottom of the cupcake, but you can use any Christmas-themed cupcake lines that you like.
- Sprinkles: For decorations that look more like ornaments, look for sugar pearls, edible pearl sprinkles, or jumbo nonpareil sprinkles.
Recipe FAQs
When the egg whites are beaten to medium peaks, it means that the egg whites stand in peaks but that the tips will curl when the beater is lifted out.
Wilton 1M or Ateco 849 will work well. A Wilton 2D tip could also be used, but it will give you a slightly more ruffled tree.
Storage
Store any leftover Christmas tree cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cupcakes will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup white baking chocolate
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 3 large egg whites
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream plus more as needed
- Green food coloring
- Sprinkles and powdered sugar for decorating
Instructions
- To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin tins with muffin papers. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the white chocolate to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 20 second intervals until completely melted, stirring between each interval.
- Add the white chocolate to the sugar mixture, and beat until incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Mix just until combined. Be careful to not overmix.
- In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they form medium peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the cupcake batter until incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins, filling each about ⅔ of the way.
- Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Remove to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- To make the buttercream frosting, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and salt together on low for 30 seconds.
- Increase speed to medium high and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla and heavy cream, adding more heavy cream as needed to make the correct consistency.
- Beat in desired amount of food coloring.
- Transfer to a piping bag with a swirl tip and pipe the frosting into a tall swirl that resembles a tree shape.
- Decorate with sprinkles, then dust with powdered sugar to look like “snow”.
Nutrition
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