Description
Get into the holiday spirit with these Christmas Light Cupcakes! These festive, colorful treats are designed to look like glowing Christmas lights, making them the perfect sweet addition to any holiday celebration. They’re sure to be the star of your dessert table!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box of vanilla cake mix (or your favorite homemade vanilla cake recipe)
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3–4 tbsp milk
- Gel food coloring (red, green, yellow, blue)
- Miniature chocolate chips or black candy for the “light bulbs”
- Edible glitter (optional, for extra sparkle!)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Follow the instructions on your box of cake mix (or homemade recipe), mixing the ingredients until smooth.
Pour the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake according to the package instructions (usually 18-22 minutes). Let the cupcakes cool completely. - Make the Buttercream Frosting:
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Mix in the vanilla extract and milk until the frosting reaches your desired consistency (it should be smooth and pipeable). - Add Color to the Frosting:
Divide the frosting into separate bowls (one for each color of “light”).
Add a few drops of gel food coloring to each bowl and mix until the colors are vibrant and evenly distributed. - Pipe the Frosting:
Using piping bags fitted with round tips, pipe the frosting in different colors on top of the cupcakes, creating rows of “lights.” You can go in a zigzag pattern or swirl the colors into strings. - Add the “Lights”:
Place mini chocolate chips or black candy in the center of each color to represent the light bulbs.
Optionally, sprinkle some edible glitter on top for a little sparkle! - Chill and Serve:
Refrigerate the cupcakes for a bit to help set the frosting.
Serve these adorable, glowing cupcakes at your holiday party, family dinner, or as a sweet gift!
Notes
- You can get creative with the colors of the frosting! Feel free to add more colors to the lights for a truly festive display.
- For an extra holiday touch, use white edible glitter or silver sprinkles to add a bit of shimmer to the “lights.”
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg