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Santa Hat Cupcakes

Santa Hat Cupcakes are festive holiday treats made from moist chocolate cupcakes topped with rich cream cheese frosting shaped like adorable Santa hats. With their bold red color, sparkling sanding sugar, and soft white trim, these cupcakes bring instant Christmas cheer to any gathering. They’re simple to prepare using boxed cake mix and easy-to-color frosting, making them ideal for parties, kids’ activities, and last-minute holiday baking. These cupcakes deliver the perfect mix of delicious flavor, eye-catching presentation, and stress-free preparation, ensuring they become a beloved seasonal favorite.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Decorating Time15 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 box Devil’s food cake mix plus ingredients listed on package

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Red food coloring
  • Red sanding sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  • Prepare chocolate cupcakes according to package directions and let cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
  • Transfer one-third of the frosting to a separate bowl for the white trim.
  • Dye the remaining frosting red.
  • Pipe red frosting in a cone shape on each cupcake to form a Santa hat.
  • Sprinkle with red sanding sugar.
  • Use a star tip to pipe the white frosting around the base of each hat, creating the trim.

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Use homemade chocolate cupcakes if you prefer baking from scratch.
  • Swap red sanding sugar with red edible glitter for extra sparkle.
  • Add almond extract to the frosting for a festive flavor twist.

Make-Ahead Tips

  • Bake cupcakes a day ahead and store unfrosted in an airtight container.
  • Frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
  • Decorate cupcakes just before serving to maintain the crisp sanding sugar texture.

Serving Variations

  • Add mini marshmallows on top as a fluffy pom-pom.
  • Use green food coloring for "Elf Hat Cupcakes".
  • Add chocolate chips inside the cupcake batter for extra richness.

Avoid Mistakes

  • Ensure cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
  • Don’t over-color the frosting—gel coloring works best for vibrant red.
  • Use firm frosting to maintain the conical shape of the hat.