These Holly Christmas Cupcakes are sure to add a little holiday cheer to your table. These chocolate cupcakes are topped with a creamy chocolate-buttercream frosting and decorated with holly leaves and berries for a festive touch.
It’s time for Christmas Treats!
The holiday season is known for being a time for family gatherings and parties with friends. And for those of us who love to cook- it’s a time for Christmas themed desserts!
I love holiday baking, which I’m sure you already know. Some of my favorite Chistmas desserts recipes are:
- Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Candy Cane Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- Eggnog Truffles
- Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cookies
- Chocolate Fruit Cake
- Strawberry Chocolate Christmas Wreaths
Holiday desserts are also a great family activity, for when everyone has a bit of time off together over Christmas break. These Christmas-themed Holly Cupcakes are a perfect activity to do with your kids!
Are you planning those holiday meals yet? While you’re here, be sure to grab this free collection of holiday recipes! It’s packed with vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipes that are perfect for your Christmas dinner.
Let’s Make Holly Christmas Cupcakes!
Start off by prepping your muffin tin with paper liners, so they’re reading when your batter is done. It’s totally worth picking up some inexpensive Christmas cupcake liners for this special treat.
Then, use a medium bowl to mix together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract, and whisk together.
I love using yogurt in my cupcake batter, as I think it gives them a nice light texture.
Use an electric mixer on low speed to combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients.
Now pour the batter into the cupcake liners so that they’re each 2/3 full.
Pop it in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes — until you can insert a toothpick in the center and have the toothpick come out clean.
Make sure you let the cupcakes cool completely before you decorate them. You don’t want wilting holly!
To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar cocoa powder, and milk. You’ll know it’s done when semi-stiff peaks form. Set this aside for now.
Now comes the more complicated part of the decorating. First, line a baking sheet with wax paper.
Then in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave your green candy and coconut oil in 30-second intervals until it’s completely melted.
Scoop the melted candy into a piping bag. Or use a sandwich bag and cut a small slit in one corner.
On your baking sheet, you’re going to draw out the leaves of your holly (about 1 1/2 inch in length).
The easiest way to make the leaves is to pipe “v” shapes continuously working downwards.
Do 24 of these leaves and let them set for 15 minutes, until they are a bit hardened and retain their shape.
Then you’ll scoop your chocolate buttercream frosting into a piping bag and frost each cupcake. Have fun with piping tips and find the design you like best. There’s no wrong way to frost a cupcake.
Then, gently place two holly leaves on each cupcake.
And add a few dots of red frosting for the holly berries.
And you’re all done! Aren’t these Holly Cupcakes just the cutest Christmas cupcakes you’ve seen? Enjoy!
Holly Christmas Cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR CUPCAKES:
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup plain yogurt
FOR DECORATING:
- 1 stick butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3-4 tbsp milk
- ½ cup green candy melts
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- Red decorating frosting
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract, and whisk until combined.
- Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine the wet and dry ingredients into a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and milk until smooth. Your chocolate buttercream is ready once it forms semi-stiff peaks.
- Scoop the chocolate buttercream into a piping bag and frost each cupcake.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave green candy and coconut oil in 30-second intervals until completely melted.
- Scoop the melted candy into a sandwich bag and cut a small slit in one corner. On your lined baking sheet, draw out the leaves to your holly, about 1 ½ inch in length. The easiest way to draw them with the candy melts is by continuously piping a “v” shape and working downwards. Draw 24 of them and let set for about 15 minutes.
- Place 2 leaves on each cupcake and pipe out red dots with your red decorating frosting. Enjoy and happy holidays!
