Reindeer Cupcakes or Rudolph Cupcakes, a fun Christmas treat for kids. With a rich chocolate buttercream and an indulgent chocolate sponge, these cupcakes are decorated with M&Ms and pretzels to give that funny reindeer look.
Hard to believe that it is December already, where has the year gone? But then December is the most exciting month of the year, so I can’t tell that I am too sad about that. Not when there are only 24 days till Christmas.
Just over 3 weeks left to get everything ready for the best season. I have already put the Christmas tree up, and, to my surprise, it is till up. My 9 month old baby and her 2 and a half year old sister have somehow managed not to pull it down. Yet.
It does feel a lot more christmassy now that the place has been decorated, and the lights have been switched on in town. I can feel the buzzing around, and the shops are becoming really busy now. We better get that shopping done sooner rather than later.
And we defnitely need to start thinking of all the cooking and baking to be done. And these reindeer cupcakes are just what we need to get the kids excited about the holidays.
Chocolate cupcakes can only be scrumptious. They are rich, buttery, sugary, not at all healthy, but let’s say that christmassy treats are not really meant to be healthy. We better leave the guilt for January, so for now, let’s just indulge.
Forget about calories, and better don’t have a look at the nutrition values below. These cupcakes are just perfect. You don’t even need to worry about all the piping, since we are going to make the rudolph face.
The reindeer cupcakes can be made from scratch in just 30 minutes, and that will baking and all. Isn’t that amazing? You will still have time to get more cooking done while they are baking.
The ingredients needed are pretty simple, and you may already have everything you need in your kitchen. Butter, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, nothing fancy. But what you get is spectacular.
And the best part, you don’t need more than one bowl to make the batter, so the cleaning up will be easy peasy. Just the way I like it! And there is hardly any effort needed, it’s all about mixing up the ingredients, nothing simpler.
How to make the best chocolate buttercream
The amazing chocolate buttercream, rich, silky, decadent, the one that makes any cupcake taste like heaven. Without it, cupcakes wouldn’t be as tasty, would they?
Again, no much effort needed, but two things are crucial here if you want the best results:
- The butter MUST be soft, so best to take it out of the fridge at least an hour before
- The icing / confectioner’s sugar MUST be sieved, for a smooth buttercream. Otherwise you will end up with one lumpy buttercream. Still yummy though.
No need to use a mixer, a spatula can do a great job too. Use just a small amount of milk at first, one tablespoon is usually enough, but if it doesn’t have the consistency you need, add a bit more.
One you mix the ingredients well, you will get a nice brown colour, and a delicious buttercream to lick your fingers clean. All you need to do now is get the cupcakes ready. The eating up is almost guaranteed.
If you don’t have M&Ms, you can use Skittles too, or anything similar. I used a bit of whipped cream to around the reindeers’ noses, but that’s completely optional.
All that’s left now if sharing with the loved ones. Enjoy, you are in for a treat!
OTHER CHRISTMASSY TREATS
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Linzer Cookies Recipe
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
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- 85 g plain flour
- 80 g butter
- 85 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 150 g butter
- 300 g icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 30 M&Ms
- 20 pretzels
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 Fahrenheit)
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Cut the butter in small cubes and add it to a bowl. The butter should be soft, so it is best to take it out of the fridge at least half an hour before you start.
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Add the sugar to the butter and use a silicone spatula to mix them very well until creamy and smooth.
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In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then gradually add them to the buttery mixture, beating well after each addition.
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Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and mix well.
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Pour in the vanilla extract.
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Arrange 10 cupcake cases on a cupcake/muffin tin and spoon the mixture into the cases until 2/3 full.
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Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and firm to touch.
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Set aside and allow to cool completely.
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To make the frosting, beat together the butter and icing sugar and cocoa powder, adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
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Decorate the cupcakes with the buttercream frosting, M&Ms and pretzels.
- Click on the US Customary link to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.
- The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.
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