Description
Delightfully festive Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes perfect for holiday celebrations. Rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with creamy vanilla frosting and crowned with fresh strawberries to resemble Santa’s iconic hat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3-4 cups icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Decoration
- Strawberries, hulled and trimmed green tops (can substitute with red frosting if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a muffin pan with festive cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream the 3 tablespoons of softened butter and white sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the creamed butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full with the batter, then bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
- Prepare the Frosting: Place 1 cup of softened butter into a bowl and beat with 2 cups of icing sugar until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, mixing well. Gradually add the remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency for piping, adding a pinch of salt to balance sweetness.
- Pipe the Frosting: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip or any large piping tip you prefer. Swirl the frosting onto each cooled cupcake starting from the center, moving outward then back inward and upward, creating a smooth, dome-shaped layer without too much height.
- Add Strawberry Santa Hats: While the frosting is still soft, press a hulled strawberry on top of each cupcake with the cut edge against the frosting to resemble Santa’s hat. Add a small dot of frosting to the tip of each strawberry to mimic the fluffy white ball on the hat’s tip and let set.
- Serve and Enjoy: Repeat the decoration process for all cupcakes and serve your festive Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes at your holiday gathering.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best color and flavor in decorating.
- You can replace strawberries with red frosting if fresh strawberries are unavailable or out of season.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
