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    Home » Recipes » Christmas

    Christmas Cupcakes

    Modified: Jul 10, 2025 · Published: Dec 3, 2019 by Lucy · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Christmas Cupcakes decorated with M&Ms.

    Simple and delicious vanilla Christmas Cupcakes topped with buttercream and decorated with lollies and chocolates... the perfect Christmas party food!

    Christmas Cupcakes decorated with M&Ms.

    It's no secret that I am officially OBSESSED with Christmas baking! Whether it's making a chocolate Christmas house or reindeer brownies with my little one, whipping up my famous 3 ingredient Christmas cake, or sneaking a sip or two of my homemade Baileys... if it has to do with Christmas and sweet treats, I am ALL IN!

     

    The Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

    Our Christmas Cupcakes are made using my all-time favourite vanilla cupcake recipe topped with a simple vanilla buttercream. It is SO easy and tastes amazing. This is honestly the only vanilla cupcake recipe you'll ever need in your life. I use it for all of my birthday cupcakes and special occasion cupcakes. 

    A Christmas cupcake decorated with buttercream, spearmint leaves and a red chocolate.

    Easy Designs For Christmas Cupcakes

    I decorated our Christmas Cupcakes in two super easy ways:

    • with red & green M&Ms to look like Christmas baubles 
    • with spearmint leaves and a Jaffa to look like Christmas holly (see notes below for substitutions)

    Both of these designs can be decorated by the kids for fun Christmas baking activities. There's no need for any piping, simply spread the buttercream over with a flat knife and decorate!

     

    The Steps To Making Simple Christmas Cupcakes

    Step 1 - Cream Mixture And Add Eggs

    Cream the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Mix through the lightly beaten eggs.

    Butter and sugar being creamed together.

    Step 2 - Fold Through Flour

    Gently fold through the self-raising flour until only just combined - don't overmix.

    Lightly beaten eggs in a bowl.

    Step 3 - Fill Cupcake Cases And Bake

    Prepare the cupcake tins (see tips below) and divide the mixture amongst the cupcake cases (filling to ⅔ full). Bake until golden and when they spring back when touched in the centre.

    Rice in the bottom of muffin tins.

    Vanilla cupcake mixture in a muffin tray.

    Vanilla cupcakes in a muffin tin.

    Step 4 - Prepare The Buttercream

    Beat the buttercream until pale and creamy. Spread over the cupcakes with a flat knife.

    Buttercream being spread onto vanilla cupcakes.

    Buttercream on vanilla cupcakes.

    Step 5 - Decorate

    Decorate the cupcakes:

    • Make Christmas baubles by decorating with red & green M&Ms
    Red M&Ms on a vanilla cupcake with buttercream.

    Red & green M&Ms decorating the top of a cupcake.

    • Make Christmas holly by decorating with spearmint leaves and Jaffas
    Spearmint leaves decorating a vanilla cupcake.

    Holly leaf Christmas cupcakes.

    Tips For Making Christmas Cupcakes

    • do not over mix the cupcake batter
    • make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before baking
    • place rice in the base of your cupcake tins before adding the cupcake paper cases - this will stop them getting oily when the cupcakes bake
    • fill the mixture to ⅔ full of your muffin holes
    • to test if the cupcakes are cooked, press gently on the middle - it should spring back when cooked
    • allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely 
    • ensure the cupcakes are completely cooled before decorating 
    • spearmint leaves are a mint flavoured soft candy covered in sugar in the shape of a spearmint leaf. If you can’t buy spearmint leaves, you can substitute them with any soft green candy
    • Jaffas  are a chocolate balls covered in a orange flavoured red shell. You can substitute them for any round red chocolate or candy you like
    • store the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days (they are best eaten within 1-2 days)
    • the cupcakes can be baked and then frozen (once cooled) for up to 1 month. Allow them to defrost at room temperature before icing with buttercream and decorating.
    Red and green Christmas cupcakes on a cake stand with another in front.

    A Christmas vanilla cupcake decorated with M&Ms cut in half.

    More Christmas Recipes To Make With The Kids

    If you're after some more fun Christmas baking recipes to make with kids... this is the collection of recipes you need! Quick, easy and FUN!

    Recipes to make at Christmas time with kids.

     

    WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

    Christmas Cupcakes decorated with M&Ms.

    Christmas Cupcakes

    Simple and delicious vanilla Christmas Cupcakes topped with buttercream and decorated with lollies and chocolates... the perfect Christmas party food!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Christmas
    Cuisine: cakes and cupcakes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 18 small cupcakes or 12 large
    Calories: 326kcal
    Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

    Ingredients

    • 200 g unsalted butter softened
    • 200 g caster sugar
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla essence
    • 4 eggs
    • 200 g self raising flour
    • red & green M&Ms, spearmint leaves and Jaffas to decorate, see notes

    For the icing

    • 185 g unsalted butter softened
    • 340 g icing sugar mixture
    • 2 tbs milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    Conventional Method

    • Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place cupcake cases into the holes of two 12-hole muffin trays.
    • Place the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl.
    • Beat together with a stand-mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and fluffy.
    • Add the eggs to a separate bowl and beat together lightly.
    • Slowly add the egg mixture to the butter mixture while continuing to beat.
    • When all of the egg mixture has been completely combined with the butter mixture, sift in the self raising flour and stir with a spoon until just combined (don't over combine).
    • Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full.
    • Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and when they spring back when touched in the centre (if you're making mini cupcakes, reduce the cooking time slightly).
    • Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • To make the icing, beat the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
    • Slowly add the icing sugar mixture, milk and vanilla extract and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
    • Decorate the cupcakes when they have completely cooled (see images above for details).

    Thermomix Method

    • Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Place cupcake cases into the holes of two 12-hole muffin trays.
    • Place sugar and butter into the TM bowl and and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5.
    • Add the eggs, salt, vanilla extract and self-raising flour and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then mix for a further 10 seconds, Speed 5.
    • Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and when they spring back when touched in the centre (if you're making mini cupcakes, they will need slightly less cooking time).
    • Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • To make the icing, place the icing sugar into the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 9.
    • Add the butter, milk and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix for 30 seconds on Speed 4.
    • Decorate the cupcakes when they have completely cooled (see images above for details).

    Notes

    RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
    • do not over mix the cupcake batter
    • make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before baking
    • place rice in the base of your cupcake tins before adding the cupcake paper cases - this will stop them getting oily when the cupcakes bake
    • fill the mixture to ⅔ full of your muffin holes
    • to test if the cupcakes are cooked, press gently on the middle - it should spring back when cooked
    • allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely 
    • ensure the cupcakes are completely cooled before decorating 
    • spearmint leaves are a mint flavoured soft candy covered in sugar in the shape of a spearmint leaf. If you can’t buy spearmint leaves, you can substitute them with any soft green candy
    • Jaffas  are a chocolate balls covered in a orange flavoured red shell. You can substitute them for any round red chocolate or candy you like
    • store the cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days (they are best eaten within 1-2 days)
    • the cupcakes can be baked and then frozen (once cooled) for up to 1 month. Allow them to defrost at room temperature before icing with buttercream and decorating.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @BakePlaySmileBlog or tag #BakePlaySmile!

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    Comments

    1. Ayla says

      November 03, 2024 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      I am a kid and I would love to bake them for my family

      Reply
    2. Milla says

      December 12, 2023 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      Can you Freeze them?

      Reply
      • Lucy says

        December 13, 2023 at 7:11 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    3. Kellie says

      December 06, 2019 at 3:33 pm

      What does it mean if the cupcakes sunk in the middle a bit?

      Reply
      • Lucy says

        December 07, 2019 at 7:57 am

        Hi Kellie, your oven might be running a little hot. Generally if they sink in the middle it's because they've been cooked too high and risen too quickly which then makes them fall in the middle. Try lowering the temp a little next time. xx

        Reply
    5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    I’m Lucy! A mum, a wife, a food blogger and a lover of all things to do with food! I love creating delicious, no-fuss Thermomix and conventional recipes the whole family will love. Classic baking favourites, lunch box snacks, quick and easy family dinners and more!

    More about me →

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