Print

Santa Hat Cupcakes

Santa Hat Cupcakes
Print Recipe

These Santa Hat Cupcakes are festive, delicious, and perfect for holiday celebrations. Featuring a soft, moist cupcake base with vibrant red frosting shaped like Santa’s hat and fluffy white trim, they are easy to make, customizable in flavor, and fun for all ages to decorate.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcake Batter

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if needed)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter for dairy-free)
  • ¾ cup milk (or plant-based milk for dairy-free)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Red food coloring (or natural alternatives like beet juice powder)

Frosting and Decorations

  • Buttercream or cream cheese frosting (store-bought allowed)
  • Red food coloring (for frosting)
  • Mini marshmallows or white candy pearls (for hat trim and pompom)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Your Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tin with festive liners. In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then stir in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture alternating with milk until smooth.
  2. Add the Red Color: Gently stir in a few drops of red food coloring until the batter turns a vibrant, uniform red. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter tender.
  3. Bake the Cupcakes: Divide batter evenly into liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before decorating.
  4. Prepare the Frosting: While cupcakes cool, whip your buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Leave half plain white for the trim and pompom, and tint the other half red to match the cupcake tops if desired.
  5. Decorate the Santa Hats: Pipe or spread the red frosting in a cone shape on each cupcake resembling Santa’s hat. Use white frosting to create a fluffy trim at the base and a pompom at the tip. Press mini marshmallows or white candy pearls into the white frosting to mimic snow.

Notes

  • Avoid overmixing the batter to keep cupcakes tender and fluffy.
  • Use room temperature butter, eggs, and milk for best mixing and rising.
  • Use piping bags with star or round tips for neat and professional frosting.
  • Frost cupcakes only when completely cooled to prevent melting.
  • Add food coloring gradually to achieve desired red shade without overpowering flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: Santa Hat Cupcakes, Christmas cupcakes, holiday baking, festive dessert, vanilla cupcakes, red frosting cupcakes

Find it online: https://marygourmet.com/santa-hat-cupcakes/