These fun and festive ornament cupcakes are the perfect addition to any winter or Christmas celebration. Moist vanilla cupcakes topped with different colored sprinkles to resemble ornaments - all ready in about 35 minutes.
We were excited to put together this ornament cupcake recipe. Making decorated cupcakes like grinch cupcakes, rainbow cupcakes or turkey cupcakes is always fun.
You can customize these cupcakes in many different ways, from changing the flavor to changing the ornament colors. These easy to make cupcakes are a perfect Christmas cupcake to serve to guests at parties or other gatherings.
Cupcake Ingredients
- Butter - unsalted + softened
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Oil
- Milk
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
Buttercream + Decorating Ingredients
- Butter - unsalted + softened
- Powdered Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Food Coloring - red, green, yellow
- Sprinkles - white, red, green, gold
- Mini Reeses
- Gold Luster Dust
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
One of the fun things about these cupcakes, is that they are easy to customize to your flavor and color preferences.
- Make them chocolate - add half a cup of cocoa powder to change them from vanilla to chocolate.
- Replace the vanilla - you can also change up the flavor by replacing the vanilla extract with other flavors like almond, peppermint, orange and more.
- Change up the colors - you can make the sprinkles and frosting any colors you want. Get creative.
If you want other festive Christmas cupcakes, try these gingerbread cupcakes too.
Instructions
Follow along with these easy instructions to bake up a batch of your own ornament cupcakes.
Step one: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake tin with paper liners.
Step two: Add butter and sugar to bowl and cream together on medium high speed for 2 - 3 minutes.
Step three: Add in vanilla, eggs and oil. Mix on medium low until well combined.
Step four: Add in milk and mix well - it may look slightly curdled.
Step five: Add in flour, salt and baking powder. Mix on low, scraping sides as needed until well combined.
Step six: Pour batter into cupcake liners filling each about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 14 - 16 minutes or until edges are brown and center is set.
Step seven: To make frosting - add butter, sugar, salt and vanilla to mixing bowl. Mix on low until combined - then mix on medium until it thickens. Add milk if needed.
Step eight: Divide frosting equally into four bowls. Add green coloring to one, yellow to one and red to one. Mix until well combined.
Step nine: Unwrap Reeses place in ziploc bag with gold luster dust and shake until well coated.
Step ten: Transfer frosting to 4 piping bags with large round piping tips.
Step eleven: Put a large dollop of frosting on top of a cupcake, add similar colored sprinkles. Pipe a small dollop of frosting the bottom of the Reeses and place that at the top of the cupcake.
Hint: Make sure that cupcakes are fully cooled before adding frosting. Otherwise it may melt off.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Don't overmix batter - to ensure you get moist and fluffy cupcakes make sure to not overmix batter. Each mixing step should be done on the lowest speed needed for the least amount of time.
- Frosting consistency - you want to make sure you can scoop the frosting up without it wilting or drooping. If it does, it's too thin - add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, it won't move through the piping bag - add a dash of milk.
Storage
Keep these refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 - 5 days. Or you can freeze them for 3 or more months.
To freeze them - flash freeze first by placing on a cookie sheet and freezing long enough that the frosting is hard. Then, wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag or airtight container.
Ornament Cupcakes
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Cupcake Tin
- Spoon or Spatula
- Piping Bag
- Large Piping Tip
Ingredients
For cupcakes
- 12 tablespoons Butter unsalted, softened
- 1.5 cup Sugar
- 3 teaspoons Vanilla
- 4 Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Oil
- 1.25 cup Milk
- 2.5 cup Flour
- 2.5 teaspoons Baking Powder
- .5 teaspoon Salt
For Frosting
- 1 cup Butter unsalted, softened
- 4 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2-3 tablespoon Milk
- Red, Green, Yellow Food Coloring
- Red, green, gold, white sprinkles
- 24 mini Reeses Cups
- Gold Luster Dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and add paper liners to the cupcake tin.
- Cream together 12 tablespoons of butter and 1.5 cups of butter with a mixer. This takes 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add in 3 teaspoons of vanilla, 4 eggs and 4 tablespoons of oil. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Add in 1.25 cups of milk and mix on medium low until well combined. May appear curdles, this is normal.
- Add in 2.5 cups flour, 2.5 teaspoons baking powder and .5 teaspoon of salt. Mix on low scraping down sides as needed until well combined.
- Use a scoop or measuring cup to fill cupcake tin with batter. Each hole should be filled about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 14 - 16 minutes. Edges should be light brown and center should be set.
- Make the frosting by adding 1 cup of butter and half of the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla into a mixing bowl. Mix on low until well combined.
- Add in other half of powdered sugar and 2 - 3 tablespoons of milk. Mix on low until well combined and then bump speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. It should be thick and fluffy.
- Divide the frosting equally into four bowls. In one add red food coloring, one add green food coloring, one add yellow food coloring and leave the last white.
- Transfer frostings to piping bags with large piping tips.
- Unwrap Reese's and place them in a ziploc bag with gold luster dust. Shake until candies are coated.
- Pipe a large dollop of frosting on each cupcake. Then add color corresponding sprinkles to each cupcake.
- Finally, pipe a small dollop of frosting on the top of bottom of each Reeses and place one on the top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Change up the cupcake flavor by adding cocoa powder, peppermint extract or any other flavor you prefer.
- Change up the color of the "ornaments" by using different colored food coloring and sprinkles.
- Make sure the frosting is the right consistency. It should be thick enough to hold shape when scooped up, but not so thick that it cannot move through the piping bag. Add milk to thin and powdered sugar to thicken.
- Don't decorate cupcakes until they are completely cooled - or the icing will melt off.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
