Baking · Country Living
Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with green buttercream piped into little trees and trimmed with star and pearl sprinkles.
Recipe adapted from Country Living — view original recipe (opens in a new tab).
Directions independently written by Local Loop; not tested in our kitchen. AI-generated illustrative photo, not the source’s photo.
The recipe
2 dozen cupcakes- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- Not specified
- Total
- 60 min
Country Living lists 20 minutes prep and 1 hour total, including 18–20 minutes baking.
Ingredients
0 of 18 checked
For the chocolate cupcakes
For the buttercream and decorating
Equipment
- Two 12-cup muffin pans
- Paper liners
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- Wire rack
- Piping bag with a large star tip
Allergen note: Contains wheat, milk, and eggs. Sprinkles may contain soy or other allergens; check labels.
Instructions
Mix the batter
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans. Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the oil, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and coffee on medium about 1 minute, then add the dry mixture and beat 1–2 minutes.
Bake and cool
Fill each liner about two-thirds full. Bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pans, then completely on a rack.
Make the buttercream
Beat the butter on medium 1–2 minutes. Beat in the milk, vanilla, cocoa, and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, then the remaining 2 cups. Tint with green food coloring.
Pipe the trees
Using a piping bag with a large star tip, swirl the frosting upward into a tree shape on each cupcake. Top with a star sprinkle and dot with pearl and gold sprinkles as ornaments.
Kitchen notes
- Use hot water instead of coffee for a kid-friendly, caffeine-free version.
- The small amount of cocoa in the frosting deepens the green.
Storage & make-ahead
The source does not give storage guidance. Local Loop note: keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.