Reindeer Cupcakes
These cute reindeer cupcakes are perfect for holiday parties or a cozy night at home. You’ll get rich chocolate flavor, silky cocoa frosting and fun toppings. Kids can help decorate, which makes baking feel like a party.
Servings: 24
Equipment
- Pastry Bag with 1M Tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 4 eggs
- ½ Cup milk
- ½ Cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ Cup sour cream
For the Frosting
- 1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ Cup heavy cream
- 4 Cups powder sugar
Toppings
- pretzels
- red M&Ms
- candy eyes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cake mix, eggs, milk, melted butter, and sour cream until well combined. It’s okay if there are some small lumps. The batter tends to be thick.
- Pour mixture into each cup of the prepared pan (each about ¾ full) and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until cupcakes are firm enough to bounce back when you gently press with your finger.
- Remove cupcakes from muffin pan and set aside on cooling rack.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the softened butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream, salt, and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix on a medium high setting until creamy. Mix in the rest of the powder sugar one ½ cup to 1 cup at a time until stiff peaks form.
- Scoop frosting into a piping bag with a 1M tip. Pipe the frosting on each cooled cupcake. I like to start in the middle of the cupcake and work my way out, then work my way up.
- Add 2 candy eyes and an M&M to each cupcake and then add 2 pretzels for the antlers.
Notes
Cool completely: Frost only when cupcakes are fully cool for neat swirls.
Hold steady: Pipe straight down, then spiral outward and up for height.
Anchor the antlers: Insert pretzels near the frosting base so they stand firm.
Fix cracks: If a cupcake top cracks, cover with a generous frosting swirl.
Clean edges: Wipe the piping tip often for sharp, tidy ridges.
Hold steady: Pipe straight down, then spiral outward and up for height.
Anchor the antlers: Insert pretzels near the frosting base so they stand firm.
Fix cracks: If a cupcake top cracks, cover with a generous frosting swirl.
Clean edges: Wipe the piping tip often for sharp, tidy ridges.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 459IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
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