Description
Festive and fun Reindeer Cupcakes featuring rich cocoa cupcakes topped with creamy chocolate frosting, decorated with pretzel antlers, red candy noses, and edible eyes – perfect for holiday celebrations and enjoyable for kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 200 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 200 g light brown soft sugar
- 150 g self-raising flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 4 medium eggs
Frosting
- 200 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 350 g icing sugar
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 75 ml evaporated milk
Decoration
- 12 pretzels (halved)
- 12 red M&Ms or Smarties
- 12 sets of edible eyes
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups or muffin cases to prepare for the cupcakes.
- Make the cupcake batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat together 200 g of unsalted butter and 200 g of light brown soft sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in 150 g self-raising flour, 50 g cocoa powder, and 4 medium eggs. Beat everything together until well combined and smooth.
- Bake the cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the frosting: In a clean mixing bowl, beat 200 g unsalted butter alone for a few minutes until soft and creamy. Gradually add 350 g icing sugar and 50 g cocoa powder, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Slowly pour in 75 ml evaporated milk while continuing to beat the mixture until smooth, creamy, and pipeable.
- Decorate the cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe the chocolate frosting generously on top using your favorite piping tip. Add two halves of a pretzel on each cupcake as antlers, place one red M&M or Smartie as the nose, and affix a set of edible eyes to complete the reindeer face decoration.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for both cupcakes and frosting to ensure smooth mixtures.
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
- Substitute evaporated milk with regular milk if unavailable, but adjust frosting consistency accordingly.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute self-raising flour with a gluten-free flour blend and baking powder.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Edible eyes can be found in cake decorating stores or online specialty shops.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
