Easy Christmas Cupcake Recipe to do with Kids
Get into the holiday spirit with festive Christmas cupcakes for kids! A simple vanilla cupcake recipe with delightful Christmas-themed decorations.
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Looking for a fun but easy activity for both the kids and you? Then you’ll love this cupcake board!
The holiday season is the perfect time to gather your little ones, whip up some delightful treats, and indulge in the joy of baking. These Christmas cupcakes are not only delicious but also a fun and festive activity to share with your little ones.
How to Make Sour Cream Cupcakes with Kids
With easy-to-follow steps and a dash of creativity, you can create adorable cupcakes that capture the essence of the season.
Sour Cream Cupcake Ingredients:
Here’s what you’ll need to make these festive sour cream and vanilla cupcakes:
Cupcake Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
Bake the Cupcakes:
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining your cupcake pans with liners.
Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) in a bowl.
In a stand mixer, blend the butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients.
Scoop the mixture into the cupcake liners and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature before decorating.
Decorate Your Cupcakes:
Once your cupcakes have cooled, it’s time to decorate them for the holidays!
Decorating the Christmas cupcakes with kids? Save time and mess by prepping your frosting bags ahead of time and call your little ones in when you are ready to frost.
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- ⅛ tsp salt
Extra Items Needed For the Cupcake Board:
While not required, these items make your cupcake board look especially fun and festive! Change these out seasonally for Valentine’s Day, Easter, or 4th of July!
- 10 cupcake liners (white or light brown)
- 10 mini cupcake liners (red and green)
- Green sanding sugar
- Red sanding sugar
- Red sprinkles
- White sprinkles
- Green and Red food coloring
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting: whisk butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cream, and salt until light and fluffy.
Divide the frosting into thirds and add red and green food coloring to two portions. Place each colored frosting in separate piping bags.
Decorate your cooled cupcakes with the frosting, using your imagination to create Christmas-themed designs.
Cream Cheese Frosting for the Win:
One secret to these cupcakes’ deliciousness is the cream cheese frosting. It’s light, fluffy, and perfectly complements the vanilla cupcakes. The balance of sweet and tangy flavors will leave everyone craving more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Here are some of the most common cupcake decorating questions that we receive.
Can I use different food colors for the frosting?
Absolutely! Feel free to get creative and use your favorite holiday colors. Change out your frosting colors seasonally for Valentine’s Day, Easter, or 4th of July!
Can I make the cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them in an airtight container until it’s time to frost and decorate. This would be perfect for those with toddlers. Make the batch while the kids go to bed one night, and have them ready for frosting as an activity for the next day!
What piping tip should I use for the decorations?
For Christmas trees, a star-shaped tip works well, while a round tip is great for details like ornaments and candy canes.
Can I use store-bought frosting instead of making it from scratch?
Of course! Store-bought frosting can save time, but homemade adds a special touch (and tastes better).
Why am I using both standard and mini cupcake liners??
To make a fun presentation, use a mix of normal sized cupcake liners and mini cupcake liners! Pro tip: 3 mini cupcakes take the same amount of batter as one normal sized cupcake liner.
How can I involve my kids in decorating these cupcakes?
Let them join in the fun! Kids can help sprinkle the sanding sugar and arrange the sprinkles to create their own holiday designs.
Tools Needed For These Christmas Cupcakes With The Kids
- Cupcake Tin and 10 Cupcake Liners(white or light brown)
- Mini Cupcake Tin and 10 Mini Cupcake Liners (red and green)
- Cookie Scoop
- Red | Green Sanding Sugar
- Red | Green | White Sprinkles
These Christmas cupcakes are a delightful way to celebrate the holiday season. Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party or simply looking to spread some cheer, these festive cupcakes are sure to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
Enjoy the magic of the Christmas season, one delicious cupcake at a time!
Other Christmas Recipes You’ll Love:
- Grinch Golden Oreo Christmas Balls
- Christmas Sheet Pan Pancakes
- 30 Must Have Christmas Potluck Ideas
Vanilla Christmas Cupcakes (Perfect for Kids)
Get into the holiday spirit with festive Christmas cupcakes for kids! A simple vanilla cupcake recipe with delightful Christmas-themed decorations.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1.5 cup all purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup)
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¾ cup sour cream (full fat)
- 10 TBSP unsalted butter (room temperature)
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 TBSP heavy cream
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
Cupcake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add cupcake liners to cupcake pans and set aside (12-14 normal size OR 10 normal size, 10 mini).
- In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a stand mixer combine butter and sugar. Beat together for 30 seconds at medium speed.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Continue to mix until fully combined.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl. Mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl if needed and be careful not to overmix.
- Scoop 3 TBSP of the mixture into the large cupcake liners and 1 TBSP into the mini cupcake liners.
- Bake mini cupcakes for 13 minutes and larger cupcakes for 20 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cupcakes comes out clean).
- Remove from oven and set on a rack to cool for approximately 30 minutes.
Frosting Directions:
- Add butter to a large stand mixing bowl with the whisk attachment.* Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Turning the speed to low, slowly add powdered sugar until it’s fully incorporated.
- Add vanilla, cream, and salt and mix on high for 2 minutes.
- Pause to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 1 additional minute on high speed.
- Divide the frosting into thirds. Transfer the first third into a piping bag. Place additional two-thirds of the frosting into two separate bowls.
- Add red and green food coloring and mix until the desired shade has been achieved. Transfer frosting into piping bags.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, decorate cupcakes with frosting/sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
- Make this into a fun cake board by making 10 regular-sized cupcakes and 10 mini cupcake sizes! (One recipe batch)
- Frosting Notes: Using a whisk vs. paddle attachment will allow the buttercream to become more light and airy.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 184mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 0gSugar: 39gProtein: 3g
