Christmas Cupcake Cake
A festive pull-apart cake made of individual cupcakes, decorated to form a Christmas shape (e.g. tree or holiday-themed) with colorful frosting and sprinkles — perfect for holiday parties or dessert tables.
Equipment
- Muffin tin + cupcake liners (or cake pan if using cake-cupcake hybrid)
- Piping bags & nozzles (for frosting / decoration)
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Cupcake Base
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 200 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 120 ml milk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting & Decoration
- 300 g butter (for buttercream frosting), softened
- 500 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- Food coloring(s) (red / green / white, etc.) — for festive look
- Sprinkles, edible decorations, candy, etc. (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (≈ 350 °F). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a bowl, cream the softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the butter-egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter among the cupcake liners (about ⅔ full). Bake about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare the buttercream: beat softened butter until pale, then gradually add powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Divide into portions and color as desired (e.g. red, green, white).
- Once cupcakes are cooled, arrange them on a large platter in the shape you like (e.g. Christmas tree, wreath, holiday shape). Using piping bags and colored frosting, decorate each cupcake to form a cohesive festive cake — add sprinkles or candy decorations if you like.
- Chill briefly if desired, then serve your cupcake cake — guests can pull apart individual cupcakes easily for sharing!
Notes
This pull-apart cupcake cake is easier and faster than a layered cake, and ideal for holiday parties. You can adapt the decorations for any theme — Christmas tree shape, snowman, wreath, etc. Many people find it a fun activity to make with kids. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}