Savor the festive spirit of the holidays with these irresistibly cute Christmas Light Cupcakes!
When my daughter was in elementary school, baking was practically a full-time job for me—and one that I took very seriously. Not only did I always make sure she had a fresh homemade treat waiting for her when she returned from school, but I also happily took on the role of designated baker for the parent-teacher association. This basically meant that I was responsible for supplying goodies for everything from bake sales to school events and, of course, holidays. I eagerly baked for Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. And when it came to the latter, my culinary creativity knew no limits!
I remember making giant snowman cakes, cute reindeer cookies, and all kinds of festive cupcakes, like the ones I’m sharing with you today. These fun little Christmas light cupcakes capture the holiday spirit and taste as good as they look. Made with ready-made cake mix, frosting, and colorful M&M’s, they’re a breeze to make and guaranteed to be a hit at school Christmas celebrations. Plus, they’re also a lovely treat to make for holiday family gatherings and potlucks.
Fun ways to tweak your cupcakes
There are so many possibilities to add even more festive flair to these cupcakes. Here are two fun suggestions to get you started!
- Christmas trees: Tint the frosting green. Place a mini sugar cone in the center of each cupcake and pipe the frosting with a star tip around the cone. Decorate with the “lights” as outlined in the recipe. Add a star or white mints to the top to make it a Christmas tree.
- Christmas wreaths: Tint half the frosting green and leave the other half white. Smooth a layer of white frosting over each cupcake, then pipe green frosting around the outer edge of the cupcake to form a wreath. Decorate with sprinkles.
How do I store leftovers?
Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Once frosted, the cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Serving suggestions
Nothing says cozy more than one of these sweet treats paired with a Rich And Creamy Hot Chocolate or a Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte.
Looking for other goodies to make the holidays even more memorable? Try our fun and festive Christmas Cake Pops or whip up a batch of this delightful Christmas Chocolate Bark. ‘Tis the season to be merry!
Christmas Light Cupcakes
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes:
- 1 box milk chocolate cake mix (13.25 ounces)
- 1 box chocolate instant pudding mix (3.9 ounces)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Decorating:
- 1 tub ready-made vanilla buttercream (16 ounces)
- 1 pouch black decorating icing (7 ounces)
- 1 bag M&M's (10 ounces)
Instructions
To Make The Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin tins with 18 paper liners.
- Add all cupcake ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat well, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Divide batter evenly between the lined muffin cups. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool, first in the tin for 10 minutes and then on a wire rack for 1 hour.
To Decorate The Cupcakes:
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe the frosting in a swirl onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Draw a black line around the surface of the frosting using the decorating icing. Stud M&M's vertically into the side of the frosted cupcakes to create a Christmas light effect.
I have a question. Will the M&Ms colors bleed into the white or black frosting?
Thanks for a response.
Hi Victoria, mine didn’t. Just make sure to let the cupcakes cool completely. Enjoy!