What's better than a Christmas Craft that's actually a Christmas Treat? These cute little Christmas Tree Cupcakes are easy to make for a crowd, and they are sure to impress. The kids will be glad to help decorate them with sprinkles, and add the star on top at your annual Christmas party. These holiday cupcakes will look great all together on a dessert buffet, or served individually for a sit down dinner on Christmas eve. Celebrate the holiday in style with these cute confections!

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix (and accompanying ingredients needed to make batter)
• 6 cups green icing
• Christmas cupcake liners
• white fondant or gum paste
• star fondant cutter

• red star sprinkles (or your favorite Christmas sprinkles)
• pearlescent round sprinkles
• 1 pastry bag
• 1 star cake decorating tip (Wilton 1M or similar)
• white edible glitter (optional)

Instructions

1.
A day or two before you plan to make your cupcakes, roll out some white fondant or gum paste (a golf ball size piece will make about a dozen stars), then use a star fondant cutter to cut 1 star for each cupcake. Set the stars aside to dry for a day or two. Optional Step: Before cutting out the stars, sprinkle the fondant with edible glitter to give the stars a little shimmer.

2.
Mix and bake the cupcakes according to the mix or recipe directions, then set them aside to cool.
3.
Add the green icing to a pastry bag with the star tip (Wilton 1M or similar) on the end.

4.
To ice the Christmas Trees Cupcakes, start squeezing the green icing on the outside edge of the cupcake.

5.
Circle toward the center with steady pressure. Each layer should rest on the inner edge of the layer below it, until you get to the center.

6.
Add several red sprinkles to each cupcake.
7.
Add the pearlescent sprinkles to the cupcakes between the red sprinkles.

8.
Top each Christmas Cupcake Tree with a white fondant star, by inserting it gently into the icing.

Tips

• You can also ice your Christmas Tree Cupcakes in white, or even pink, and use different colors of sprinkles for decoration.
• Make an assembly line with your kids to create these cupcakes quickly. Add the icing, then pass the cupcake off to one of your children to add the sprinkles, and another to add the star, a third child can plate the cupcakes!