Santa Hat Cupcakes

Check out these festive little Santa hat cupcakes. Buttercream frosting and strawberries with chocolate are one of the best combinations. Splurge a little and make these homemade cupcakes with homemade frosting. Simple assembly to make them into Santa hat cupcakes.

Santa Hat Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the vanilla buttercream:

1 cup butter, softened
3-4 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch salt
2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Strawberries (can use red frosting instead), green trimmed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a muffin pan with themed cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

For the frosting:

Place softened butter into a bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add 2 Tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla.

Add remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip, or other preferred large piping tip.

Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center – moving outwards and then back in and up, being careful not to give the frosting too much height.

While the frosting is soft, press a hulled strawberry on top so that the cut edge is against the frosting.

Add a small dot of frosting to the tip of the strawberry and let set. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

More Holiday Treats

Santa Hat Cupcakes

Ingredients

- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 3 tablespoons butter, softened

- 1 1/2 cups white sugar

- 2 eggs

- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

- For the vanilla buttercream:

- 1 cup butter, softened

- 3-4 cups icing sugar

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- pinch salt

- 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Strawberries (can use red frosting instead), green trimmed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Line a muffin pan with themed cupcake liners.

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

1. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.

1. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

1. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

1. For the frosting:

1. Place softened butter into a bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add 2 Tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla.

1. Add remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

1. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip, or other preferred large piping tip.

1. Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center – moving outwards and then back in and up, being careful not to give the frosting too much height.