There’s just something magical about biting into a festive treat topped with swirls of creamy frosting and a sprinkle of holiday sparkle. This Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe captures that magic perfectly, blending moist cupcakes with a luscious cream cheese frosting studded with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake crumbs. Trust me, it’s a showstopper both in flavor and appearance!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe is truly one of my favorite holiday dessert projects, because it brings together fun nostalgia with baking bliss. The familiar taste of Little Debbie’s cakes folded into rich frosting makes each bite a festive surprise that guests can’t help but smile over.
- Deliciously Moist Cupcakes: These are tender and fluffy, providing the perfect base that isn’t too sweet or dense.
- Frosting That’s a Star: Cream cheese frosting with cake crumbs is smooth, tangy, and just the right texture to pipe beautifully.
- Festive Presentation: The green frosting dusted with sanding sugar and adorned with red accents turns each cupcake into a little Christmas tree.
- Easy to Customize: You can tweak colors, add sprinkles, or try different cake mix-ins to make them your own.
Ingredients & Why They Work
All the ingredients in this Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe come together to create a classic yet festive flavor profile. The balance between butter, sugar, and eggs gives you a professional crumb, while the cream cheese frosting adds that luscious tang that plays so well with holiday sweetness.
- Butter: Using room temperature butter helps you cream it properly with sugar for a light, fluffy cake texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the batter just right without being overpowering.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture, ensuring the cupcakes stay tender for days.
- Vanilla Extract: A key flavor booster that complements all the other ingredients.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and lend richness to the batter.
- Whole Milk: Contributes to moistness and enhances flavor depth.
- All-purpose Flour: Provides structure; make sure to measure even and not compacted for the perfect crumb.
- Baking Powder: The leavening agent that helps these cupcakes rise just right.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances overall flavors.
- Cream Cheese: The star of the frosting adding tang and creaminess.
- Powdered Sugar: Gives that smooth sweetness to the frosting, perfect for piping.
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes: Crumbled into the frosting for texture and that nostalgic holiday flavor twist.
- Milk (for frosting drizzle): Used to thin the red tinted frosting so it drizzles beautifully.
- Green Sanding Sugar: Adds sparkle and a festive crunch on top.
Make It Your Way
I love making this Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe my own by tweaking the decorations or occasionally swapping the Little Debbie cakes with similar holiday favorites. You can easily make this recipe fit your holiday style and dietary needs, too.
- Variation: I once swapped out the green sanding sugar for crushed peppermint candy, giving it a refreshing bite and a festive crunch that my family adored.
- Dietary Switch: For a gluten-free twist, try a gluten-free flour blend and double-check your baking powder to keep these tasting just as lovely.
- Color Play: Play with different colors of sanding sugar or use edible glitter to match your party theme—it’s your holiday masterpiece!
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy
Start by beating room temperature butter and sugar until the mixture looks smooth and a little fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes. This step is essential because it builds air into your batter, helping the cupcakes rise beautifully. A hand mixer or stand mixer works great here.
Step 2: Add Eggs, Oil & Vanilla
Next, mix in eggs one at a time, then add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Keep mixing until it’s all fully combined. This blend brings richness and moisture, so don’t rush this part.
Step 3: Incorporate Milk and Dry Ingredients
Pour in the milk—it might look a bit curdled, but that’s totally fine! Then gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt, starting on low speed to avoid flour puffing everywhere. Once mostly combined, bump up the speed to medium and beat just until smooth.
Step 4: Bake the Cupcakes
Fill cupcake liners about halfway or two-thirds full to avoid overflow, then bake at 350°F for 14 to 16 minutes. You'll know they’re done when the edges are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting!
Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting with a Twist
Whip together butter, cream cheese, and salt until smooth. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, then switch to a paddle attachment and fold in the crumbled Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes until the frosting is creamy and smooth. This secret step adds the perfect festive texture.
Step 6: Prepare the Red Drizzle and Pipe the Frosting
Set aside about half a cup of frosting, then mix in milk and red gel food coloring to make a smooth drizzle. Pipe tall green swirls with the rest of the frosting using a star tip, then drizzle red frosting over the tops. Finish with a sprinkle of green sanding sugar for that glittery tree effect.
Top Tip
From my experience, the frosting can sometimes look a bit lumpy if the cake crumbs aren’t well pulsed, so spend some extra time pulsing or breaking down those Little Debbie cakes. It truly makes a difference in that smooth, dreamy texture you want.
- Pulsing the Cake Crumbs: Use a food processor and pulse until creamy—not just crumbly—to get flawless frosting.
- Proper Butter Temperature: Make sure your butter is soft but still cool; too warm and the cupcakes can turn dense.
- Gentle Folding: When incorporating dry ingredients, fold gently to keep the batter light & fluffy.
- Frosting Tips: If your frosting isn’t smooth but you want to pipe stars, swap to a round tip to avoid clogging.
How to Serve Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe
Garnishes
I love keeping it simple with green sanding sugar for sparkle and a gentle red drizzle to mimic ornaments. Sometimes I add tiny edible gold stars or a sprinkle of crushed peppermint for an extra festive touch—these little details really bring the cupcakes to life.
Side Dishes
These cupcakes go beautifully with a warm cup of spiced cider or a cozy mug of hot chocolate—perfect for chilly winter days. If you’re serving a holiday brunch, pair them with cinnamon rolls or fruit salad to balance sweetness with fresh flavors.
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, I love arranging these cupcakes on a tiered cake stand dressed with holiday greenery and twinkling fairy lights. You can even place tiny star-shaped cookie toppers or edible glitter to amp up the festive vibes and delight your guests visually as well as in taste.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Because of the cream cheese frosting, I always store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. They stay fresh and moist for up to 5 to 7 days—a real lifesaver when you want to enjoy your holiday baking over several days.
Freezing
I've also had success freezing these cupcakes—just pop them in an airtight container or ziplock bag with parchment between layers to prevent sticking. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge before serving to preserve texture and flavor.
Reheating
If you prefer your cupcakes at room temperature, you can take them out of the fridge about 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Avoid microwaving since the frosting might soften too much or become oily.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! While the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes add a nostalgic holiday flavor, you can substitute with similar snack cakes or gingerbread crumbs for a festive twist. Just pulse them until creamy before folding into the frosting.
If you find your frosting too soft, try chilling it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, then remix to firm it up. Also, make sure not to add too much milk when mixing the red drizzle frosting portion. Room temperature ingredients help keep the frosting stable.
Yes! The cupcakes and frosting can be made a day or two in advance. Store the cupcakes and frosting separately in the fridge, then assemble and decorate shortly before serving for the freshest look and taste.
Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to swirl the green frosting in a tall, narrow cone shape on top of each cupcake. The texture from the star tip mimics pine needles, making it look like a mini Christmas tree. Finish with sanding sugar and red drizzle for that perfect ornament effect.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe has become a holiday staple at my house because it’s just so joyful to make and share. The combination of nostalgic flavors, moist cakes, and that dazzling frosting brings out smiles every single time. I can’t recommend it enough if you want to bring a bit of warmth and whimsy to your holiday festivities—grab your mixer and let’s bake some Christmas magic!
Print
Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 27 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delight in these festive Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cupcakes featuring moist vanilla cupcakes topped with a creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting blended with crumbled Christmas Tree Cakes and decorated with red drizzle and green sanding sugar for a perfect holiday treat.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 10 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Red gel food coloring
- Green sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a stand mixer bowl, add butter and granulated sugar. Cream them on medium speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. You can use a hand mixer if preferred.
- Add eggs, oil, and vanilla: Mix in the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
- Incorporate milk: Add the whole milk and mix until combined. The batter may appear curdled, which is normal.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed initially until the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, then increase to medium speed until fully combined.
- Fill cupcake liners: Fill each cupcake liner half to two-thirds full with the batter.
- Bake cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes or until cupcake edges are golden brown. Remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting base: In a stand mixer bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and salt with the whisk attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add vanilla and sugar: Mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar on low speed until just combined; set aside.
- Crush Little Debbie cakes: In a food processor, pulse the Christmas Tree Cakes until finely crumbled and creamy. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer for a lumpier texture.
- Combine cake crumbs with frosting: Add the crushed cakes into the frosting bowl and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth.
- Prepare red drizzle: Place ½ cup frosting in a separate bowl, mix in milk and red gel food coloring thoroughly. Transfer this red frosting to a piping or storage bag.
- Fill piping bag: Put the remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or a large round tip if the frosting is not smooth.
- Frost cupcakes: Pipe a tall swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
- Drizzle red frosting: Cut a small hole at the end of the red frosting bag and drizzle the red frosting back and forth over each cupcake gently.
- Decorate with sanding sugar: Sprinkle green sanding sugar over the frosted cupcakes for a sparkling holiday finish.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days due to the cream cheese in frosting. They remain fine at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, a hand mixer works well for both cake and frosting preparation.
- Use large cupcake liners to accommodate the frosting swirls and decorations.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent frosting from drying out.
- For a smoother red drizzle, use gel food coloring rather than liquid to avoid thinning the frosting.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with canola oil if preferred.
- Crushing the Little Debbie cakes thoroughly ensures a creamy texture in the frosting without lumps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
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