Description
These Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cupcakes are a festive and delicious dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Fluffy vanilla cupcakes are topped with a rich cream cheese frosting blended with crumbled Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, then decorated with green sanding sugar and a drizzle of red frosting for a colorful, holiday-inspired treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 10 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Red gel food coloring, as needed
- Green sanding sugar, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Alternatively, use a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined to form a smooth batter.
- Add milk: Pour in the whole milk and mix just until combined; the batter may look curdled, which is normal.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, then increase to medium speed until fully combined.
- Fill cupcake liners: Fill each cupcake liner halfway to two-thirds full with the batter for even-sized cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until the edges turn slightly golden brown. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting base: In a stand mixer bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and salt on medium speed with a whisk attachment until smooth and creamy. A hand mixer can be used instead.
- Add vanilla and sugar: Mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar on low speed until fully combined; set aside.
- Crush Little Debbie cakes: Pulse the 10 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes in a food processor until crumbled and creamy. A hand mixer can be used, though the texture may be lumpier.
- Combine frosting and crumbs: Add the crumbled cakes to the frosting bowl and mix on medium speed with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Prepare red drizzle frosting: Place 1/2 cup of the frosting in a separate bowl, add milk and red gel food coloring, then mix thoroughly with a spatula. Transfer to a piping or storage bag.
- Fill piping bag for main frosting: Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. If the frosting is not smooth, use a large round tip to avoid clogging.
- Pipe frosting on cupcakes: Pipe a tall swirl of frosting onto each cupcake for a festive appearance.
- Drizzle red frosting: Cut a small hole at the end of the red frosting piping bag and drizzle the red frosting back and forth over each cupcake while applying gentle pressure.
- Add sanding sugar: Sprinkle green sanding sugar over the cupcakes to finish the decoration with a festive touch.
- Storage instructions: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days due to the cream cheese frosting. They can be left at room temperature for 1 to 2 days safely.
Notes
- Ensure the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Using a food processor for the Little Debbie cakes results in a smoother frosting; a hand mixer will create a lumpier texture.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little extra milk one teaspoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
- Green sanding sugar can be substituted with colored sprinkles or edible glitter for decoration.
- For easier piping, chill the frosting slightly before filling the piping bags.
- Make sure to store cupcakes covered to prevent them from drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
