Cupcake Christmas Tree Recipe

This afternoon, Dad and I made a Cupcake Christmas Tree and if you don't mind me saying, it looks and tastes fab! Here's how to make it yourself:

Equipment:

For the cupcakes
200g of butter, softened
200g of caster sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 eggs
200g of self-raising flour
2 tbsp of milk
20g of cocoa powder

For the icing

300g of butter

525g of icing sugar

3 tsp of vanilla extract

green food colouring

sweets, to decorate with

Equipment:

A 24-hole mini muffin tray

48 green petit four cases

A small plant pot (with a diameter of about 13cm)

A foam cone (with a base of about 12cm across) 

Cocktail sticks

A star, for decoration 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line the tray with muffin cases. 

2. Put 100g of butter, 100g of sugar and 1/2 a tsp of vanilla extract into a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy.

3. Add one egg and mix well.

4. Then pour in 1 tbsp of milk and 100g of self-raising flour. Mix with a spatula until everything's fully combined.

5. Using two teaspoons, distribute the mixture evenly among the cases and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

6. Once the first batch has finished baking, create a second batch following steps 1-5, however,  this time add 20g of cocoa powder.

7. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the icing by beating the butter and icing sugar in a bowl, then adding the vanilla extract and food colouring. Blend again until evenly coloured.

8. Transfer the icing into a piping bag with a small star-shaped nozzle.

9. After the cakes have cooled completely, ice them.

10. Decorate each one with sweets. (I used Jelly Tots!)

11. Now, gently push the cone into the pot.

12. Push a cocktail stick into the base of every cupcake and press each one into the foam cone to secure it in place. Finally, place the star on top of the Christmas tree and TA-DAH!

Hope this recipe is helpful! Enjoy!