I went to a Christmas party last weekend that ended up being the inspiration for these decorated cupcakes. The home of the party was filled with sugar and pink and the absolute sweetest decorations. Wait until you see. I’ll show you soon. Maybe tomorrow. I still need to edit all the photos I took because it really deserves it’s own post.
But back to cupcakes. I was playing around with decorating, so I just used a cake mix for these cupcakes. But if you decide to try them, use a recipe that is more dense, more pound-cake than fluffy because the weight of the trees can cause them to tumble if you’re not careful.
Anyway… Christmas Tree Cupcakes. You’ve seen them before, I’m sure.
They use sugar cones for the base of the tree. But all the ones I’ve seen use the entire cone and then rest it on the top of the cupcake like these from Martha Stewart. This would obviously make sense if I was smart.
But no, I wanted them to be smaller … (go figure)… and stand above the cupcake with candy cane stems.
Just like this. Pretty cute.
But, just a little plain I think.
So, I tinted some fondant and made little presents to go under the tree. And these snowflake sprinkles made perfect little bows.
See…
I think I could have stopped here and they would be just fine.
Instead, I added some pink, blue and white confetti sprinkles for decorations.
What do you think? Too much? or Too cute?
To decorate, you’ll need:
Cupcakes
Sugar Cones
White Candy Melts
White Sugar crystals
Frosting
Pink Sugar crystals
Candy Canes
Fondant
Icing colors (I used Wilton Dusty Rose & )
Snowflake Sprinkles
Confetti Sprinkles
- Cut off ends of the sugar cones, so the tree section is around 3 inches long. Use a serrated knife to carefully saw through without shattering the cone.
- Dip cone sections in melted white candy coating. If you use a tall plastic cup, it will be easier to coat the entire cone.
- Remove and let excess coating fall off.
- Sprinkle white sugar crystals or sanding sugar over entire surface of the cone. Sprinkle over a large bowl and you can reuse the sprinkles.
- Set on wax paper to dry completely. When dry, you can redip the bottoms to make sure the cone is completely coated.
- Use 6 inch long candy canes and break the handles off so you are left with a straight piece that’s around 5 inches.
- Cover cupcakes with tinted pink frosting.
- Fill a small dish with the pink sugar crystals or sanding sugar and press cupcake tops into the dish until the entire surface is covered with sugar cyrstals.
- Dip one end of the candy cane in some of the melted candy coating and insert the other end straight into the cupcake.
- Place a Christmas Tree on top of the candy cane and let the candy coating dry and work like a glue.
- If you want decorations, it would be a good idea to add them before you attach the tree. Just dot a small amount of coating on the surface and attach a colored sprinkle.
- For presents, tint white fondant and shape the fondant into small squares by hand. Then use some of the white fondant, roll it out and use a knife to cut thin strips for ribbon. Attach the white fondant ribbon to the presents with a small dab of water. Then attach the snowflake sprinkles the same way.
- Remember, use dense cupcakes instead of light and fluffy ones so the trees will not want to tip.
- Or skip the candy canes, use the entire sugar cone and make big trees. Then you won’t have to worry.
Either way… enjoy!
P.S. The baking cups are from confectioneryhouse.com in case you’re wondering,
I want to make the cup cake with the candy sticks, but you’re talking about the candy cane in one of the melted cotton candy. but where do you attach the candy stick to the Christmas tree. What kind of glue?
Very cute! I make a lot of stuff like this too..it’s so much fun. The only thing I might change is making the top of the cupcakes “White” instead of Pink so it looks like snow and the red presents would really stand out. Beautiful!!
This is sooooo cute! Love it~
Me encanta dado lo que haces , por que se ve que lo haces con mucho amor
Wow your baking is so inspiering!
you really have amazing ideas..cool
hjghg
it’s cute, but what interested me is that it keeps the flavor for how long? I like to eat it and my kids too.
Extra Smart!
These are very cute and I made them last night. Great response from the folks I made them for but whew it was very time consuming and so very sticky! But thanks for sharing such a fun Christmas treat!
SO ADORABLE! HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA?
wow these are so amazing im blown away I know what im doing for the Christmas partu
Instead of the fondant presents I used half of licorish and crossed it with red i with red icing if u don’t like fondant
I got that of “my cupcake addiction” on you tube
I love them. I will make them for my project in my baking class in our school.:D
These are so cute. I HAVE to make them!
These are really cute! :)
These are so flipping cute <3
These look so scrumptious! I had to post them on my website, here’s the link: http://www.lescreateliers.com/Les_Createliers/Idees_Ideas/Entries/2012/12/20_Cupcakes_de_NoelChristmas_cupcakes.html
Merry Christmas!
i love them :D
cute!!
I love these…I soooo want to make them this Christmas but how in the world would you transport them. I guess I’d have to put them together after I got to the party but I hate doing that.
These look fab! Going to make them for friends for Christmas :o) I have a question; how much candy melts did you use? xx
http://www.dolciaiuti.com/home/2012/11/tutorial-cupcakes-albero-di-natale-in-10-semplici-mosse/
These people keep posting pictures and tutorials without giving you credit for them, it really pisses me off!!!
OK. I made them. OMGosh!!!! You are a cupcake GURU!!!!! It too me 5 1/2 hours to make 24 from start to finish!!!!! I was exhausted!!!!! I had to order the candy canes cause it’s May. I got 36 to allow for breakage. ALL of them were broken!!!!!! So I left the celephane on. I made it with pound cake, but my trees still didn’t stand up. I have to transport them. This should be fun. I will have to work my magic with frosting and sprinkles when I get to my destination. Mine are cute and all, but YOUR’S are WAYYYY better than mine!!! Don’t know if I would attempt it again. Oh, and I didn’t do the presents under the tree. Your directions were perfect. Still not sure what I could have done to make the trees stand up better. :)
I am going to attempt to make these cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday party. She’s 38, btw!!! She saw them somewhere and said she HAD to have them. So I know to do a pound cake kind of cupcake. I had to order candy canes on line since it’s May…..and the cupcake holders cause I just couldn’t find blue anywhere. And I know now to saw slowly thru the cones to score them. My question is, is there a way to make them ahead? Any part of this masterpiece? Thanks!!!
Thank you for sharing! They are trully beautiful!
LUV THEM!!! super adorable!
These are SOOO cute. I need to try making them. But they will never come out looking as cute as yours.
So are the trees cake covered in candy coating with sprinkles
Not too much at all! Very pretty and adorable! I wish I had your talent!
Love your idea i so need to buy more cake mix to make your yummy treats
These are SO adorable!!! You did such a great job giving step by step directions! Super cute!
These are so cute! I definitely will need to make these around christmas time! What type of sugar crystals did you use? and how did you cut the cones without them breaking?
hi, i would like to know How do you make the cakes pops?
i mean the balls of cake?
thanks
Wow, this is such a great website!!!!!
I love these! Last year we made them for a Christmas bake sale, only we used different candies at the bottom and sometimes even the Starlite peppermint candies which makes the dessert a total classic. These are also super cheap since we were making the treat in bulk. This site is really helpful and has a tone of Christmas candy options to decorate the cupcake base and even the tree with.
http://www.candyfavorites.com/starlite-mints-christmas
They are the most adorable cupcakes ive seen, and ive seen alot of cupcakes!
Question,
The white Sugar or pink sugar, if you have pink edible glitter, could you mix that in the sugar to give it a glittery effect?
Thanks so much!
Love your recipes!
Alicia xxx
Love your site but could you please some how make part of the site with a printer friendly site.
These are uber cute! I think that the next time I bake something, I will make cupcakes with a cake pop stuck rite in the middle…. Hmmmmm.
LOVE, LOVE LOVE!
will they taste good? duh! anything that looks that sweet tastes good before it even hits my lips…yummm. everything we eat should be a treat to our eyes as well as our lips. and noooo it is not to much. they are perfect as usuall!
So cute – on my list of making for Christmas !!
OMG… way too cute! LOVE everything on this website, but this is just outstanding. It’s pure ART!
Wow, simply awesome!
These are crazy CUTE!
o my god these are great:) don’t you have any halloween cupcakes?
best wishes
I filled the cone w/cake ball recipe. So good & incredibly rich! You definitely can only eat one!…without falling over from sugar shock! I also did them for fall w/fall colors & cut leaves under the trees! My childrens school classes LOVED them!(so did the teachers…so, I shared you website). Thanks so much for the inspiration!
These are beautiful, but having once covered cupcakes with sanded sugar, I found them inedible.. As art they’re darling, as food, well ….
Those christmas tree cupcakes look awesome!
Dear Bakerella
I finally found my way to your beautiful blog from Denmark. There is a online contest going on here in DK, where you have to decorate a cupcake, with the chance of winning two tickets to New York. I so despereatly want to win, and with your design I´m sure I will! Would it be ok to still this idea, turning it into a forrest landscape instead of a snowy one, with toadstools underneath. I will not be able to link to your site when uploading, so I thought I would ask you! Hope it´s ok?
Heidi
Too cute! Love them..
Love it
Felicia – saw slowly
Bakezilla – no, they are empty
Runnin Momma – not too much care. and I can’t remember how long… sorry.
Kayleigh – great idea
violarulz – you, too.
catherine – sanding sugar or sugar crystals will work
tasha – canon. 5d now. I did have a rebel that worked great, too.
Caty – they are pretty tasty and easy to eat.
Sharman – try the solid color ones from confectioneryhouse.com
Stephanie – estilo script
Try this!
1 pkg mini marshmallows
4 Tbls water
2lbs confectioners suger
Microwave marshmallows and water at 30 sec. intervals til melted. Use crisco and coat your hands and counter REALLY well. Add sugar to marshmallows and stir a little then dump onto prepared counter and kneed with hands. Viola! Perfectly CHEAP fondant… that TASTES GREAT! Just let it sit in a ziplock bag over night on the counter and then use. Add colors if you want.
Oh my goodness! I just stumbled across your blog and I AM IN LOVE! Your work is amazing, not to mention your photography! I am honestly blown away.
What font did you use in your last photo, the one that says “Merry Christmas” under the cupcakes?
I love them!
You never fail to amaze me (:
You are to us, what sugar is, to baking! You can never be too much! just got from Japan and your blog is the first thing i went too! Can’t wait to give these a try, but first, The Coke bottle polar bears! I have been dying to try it out! =)
using a peppermint stick as a tree trunk?! Martha’s wishing she had thought of that first! love your blog! thanks for sharing!!!
I just read the comment above mine and couldn’t agree more when TAB asked “Where is your cookbook?” lol. You are truely an inspiration & I am definately hooked on your blog..:-)
hi! just wondering if you’ve ever considered making a cookbook of all your wonderful creations? My husband laughs as I have my laptop on my kitchen counter while trying to make a few of your wonderful creations. (I know I should just print them) I’ve been to many websites with neat desserts but yours just BLOWS ME AWAY! You are extremely creative and by your designs it shows just how much passion, drive, and desire you have for what you do. THANK- YOU SO MUCH for continuing to share it with all of us.
So please get back to me on that cookbook…wink…:)
Your level of detail is just amazing- Where is your cookbook? I am so thankful to have found your blog- you are so very talented.
These are ridiculously cute. Thank you for sharing!
Bakerella, I’m SO glad I found your website!
I spent all day making these today!! My trees aren’t as polished, but they’re still pretty darn good. You are awesome inspiration
These are too cute!! My 8-year old daughter is looking at your site with me and asked if the presents were made from Starburst Candy–I think I’d have to go that route since my Fondant Molding Skills are nil!
I am in love. Everything you do is so beautiful and it just amazes me.
I love your wrappers but when I use coloured wrappers they just go dark brown when I bake them no matter which colour I use .Any ideas ? I am using wilton metal baking pans .
I just love your blog!! Cheers to you Bakerella! Cheers to you!
Love it so much, I had to post it.. :) http://www.naomialice.blogspot.com
Yea I’m addicted to you Bakerella!!! hahahahaha! Merry Christmas to YOU :)
Kisses N:)
Definitely too cute. Waaaay better than the Martha Stewart ones. I love your creativity!
Too cute!! I love them! Merry Christmas!!
I love your site. I found out today that my cancer is back. Not the Christmas present I wanted. I needed some cheering up and so I came on here to look at all the happy :). It has done the trick and I feel much better. Tomorrow I’m going to make some cookies with my kids and look at them and smile too :). Thank you and Merry Christmas!!
You inspired me. I needed a sweet Christmas party treat for my son’s 4th grade class. As of yesterday, I was just thinking cookies. But this idea sent me to Walmart after ice cream cones, etc. I skipped the candy canes and used the whole cone. I dipped them in white almond bark and sprinkled with the left over sprinkles from the sugar cookies. I iced the cupcakes in green icing (my boy would have hate pink). While I’m not so good at cake decorating, I managed to pipe a border around the cones once they were place. I pressed a few red hots around the base to hide my lousy piping. Finally, I piped a small yellow star at the top of the cones. The fourth graders loved them. And I’m sure I’ll never be crazy enough to do that again! But thanks for the idea!
OMG, so cute!!!!!!
such a cute recepie..dying to make it!
also cant wait to see the pics of the house..sounds really pretty!
Doesn’t get any cuter than these…. Love it! Send me some. ;)
Just lovely, Angie. You get more and more talented every day!
Can’t wait to see the ideas that the New Year hold for you!
Happy Holidays!
Angela
These are cute, but seriously? who the hell is going to make these? I can think of a bizillion better things to do with my time….
for sure too cute!
but, i now i need to try them! and i just don’t know where i will find the time!!
Wow, those are seriously amazing! I’m used to most of my cupcakes coming from the grocery store stuck in the middle with a plastic ring plastered with a picture of Tinkerbell or Lightning McQueen. These are definitely in their own class. Thanks for sharing! =)
Mindy
http://www.thesuburbanlife.com
Definitely, too cute! I wouldn’t change a thing.
these are adorable! I’m done my baking for this year..but I’m definitely remembering these for next year!
Cuteness overload! These are fabulous and I can only imagine watching people’s faces as they try to eat them :D
Those are too cute!!! Merry Christmas to you!
I love love love this site..I just stumbled on it a month ago through my facebook page from Betty Crocker! I love how you take pictures and break it down on how you do each thing. It makes it easy to follow for novice bakers like me!!! ADORABLE ADORABLE ADORABLE …thanks for sharing your ideas !! you have a new fan :-)
yours are much cuter that Martha Stewart’s!
I hate that I do not even have time to bake what I am supposed to by tomorrow…….. (took on work at the last minute.. whats more important caolories or money.. hmmmmm tough one…) and NOW I WANT TO MAKE YOUR LITTLE TREE CUPCAKES for the party! you just kill me!!!!!!!!!
love your stuff. truly.
maybe a little star or ball on top? guilding the lily maybe
I just found your blog and I am totally hooked!! Your creations are amazing and I absolutely love the Tree cupcakes and don’t think it is too much at all! Just gorgeous! And I can’t wait to try the cake balls! I’ve never heard of such a thing and I am truly amazed! Thanks for sharing and I’m so happy to have found your blog.
too cute! and waaaaaaay better than martha stewart’s :)
Adorable!! Your creative ideas and attention to detail blows me away every time.
Fantastic!!! Happy Holidays!! I need a t-shirt to wear around here in Virginia.
Cutest.. Cupcakes. EVER. And WAY cuter than Martha’s! If I weren’t so completely baked-out this year, I’d be rushing to make these right this very instant! Awesome job as always, Bakerella. Merry Christmas to you !
I couldn’t eat those!! They are too cute!!
LOVE the cupcakes! Very very cute :) But I have to admit, I don’t think I would like to eat all that sugar coated candy on a cone :( So perhaps I would bake the cupcake in the cone like Martha’s (only 1/2-size) and stick the cupcake tree on a candy-cane stick! Yum. I’m all about presentation, but taste and yummy edibility will win every time!
Yes, all is too cute! … I like so much.
Happy Christmas!! from Mallorca.
They are so cute and so adorable! Thanks for sharing! I can use them as presents for my teammates this Christmas! They will surely love this.
pretty and adorable!
Oops…that’s not what I meant to say!
Too cute!…definitely. I think yours are cuter than the others. They have a more modern look. I like!
+
Too Cute~~~~
COME ON!!!!!!!!!! You kill me with your designs and I do mean in a great way. Whenever I feel a little overwhelmed, I check out what you’re up to in the creativity department and you help me to be balanced. If that’s possible. Good job
too cute! these are fabulous! i would love to get a sweet treat like this!
TOO CUTE!! I love them. You rock Bakerella!