Description
Delight in these festive Chocolate Christmas Tree Cupcakes, featuring rich chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy cream cheese frosting, shredded coconut ‘snow,’ and decorative pretzel candy melt Christmas trees. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these cupcakes combine moist, chocolaty flavor with fun, edible tree decorations for a whimsical seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Trees:
- 30 pretzel sticks
- 1¼ cup green candy melts
- Non-pareil sprinkles
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 6 oz cream cheese or light cream cheese, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2½ cups shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Muffin Cups: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 30 muffin cups with cupcake liners to prevent sticking and make removal easy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and cocoa.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the dry mixture, add eggs, milk, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes to incorporate air and create a smooth batter.
- Incorporate Boiling Water: Carefully add 1 cup of boiling water into the batter, stirring gently until well combined. The batter will be thin – this is expected and helps produce moist cupcakes.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the Pretzel Trees: Melt green candy melts according to package instructions. Transfer melted candy to a piping bag. Place pretzel sticks on a wax or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. Pipe candy melts over the pretzels in a triangular tree shape immediately topping them with non-pareil sprinkles. Let set completely until hardened.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and cream cheese using an electric mixer until smooth and well blended. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, mixing just until combined to form a creamy frosting.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once cupcakes have cooled completely, spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting on top of each cupcake. Immediately sprinkle shredded coconut over the frosting to resemble snow.
- Assemble the Trees on Cupcakes: Just before serving, gently peel the set pretzel candy melt trees from the paper. Insert the bottom of each pretzel tree into the center of the frosted cupcakes to complete the decorative look.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- For a more intense chocolate flavor, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- You can substitute non-pareil sprinkles with edible glitter or colored sugar for varied decoration.
- The thin batter is normal due to the boiling water; it produces moist cupcakes.
- If green candy melts are not available, white candy melts can be dyed with green food coloring.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
