Description
These Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cupcakes are delightful festive treats featuring moist vanilla cupcakes topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting blended with crumbled Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. Decorated with green sanding sugar and a drizzle of red frosting, these cupcakes bring holiday cheer to any celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
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 (quantity as needed)
- Green sanding sugar (for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer bowl, cream the ¾ cup butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add 4 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add Milk: Stir in 1 ¼ cups whole milk until combined; the mixture may appear curdled, which is normal.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt to the wet mixture. Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, then increase to medium speed and beat until fully combined.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Fill each cupcake liner about 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting Base: In a stand mixer bowl, beat ½ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, and ½ teaspoon salt on medium speed with a whisk attachment until smooth and creamy.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the frosting. Mix on low speed until combined and smooth.
- Crush Christmas Tree Cakes: Using a food processor, pulse 10 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes on high until crumbled and creamy. Alternatively, use a hand mixer in a bowl, though the texture will be lumpier.
- Combine Frosting and Crumbs: Add the crumbled cakes to the frosting and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the frosting is smooth.
- Prepare Red Frosting: Take ½ cup of the frosting in a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons milk and red gel food coloring. Mix thoroughly to get a vibrant red color, then transfer to a piping or storage bag.
- Pipe Green Frosting: Place the remaining frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or large round tip if frosting isn’t smooth) and pipe a tall swirl on each cupcake.
- Drizzle Red Frosting: Cut a small hole at the tip of the red frosting bag and gently drizzle it back and forth over the green swirled frosting on each cupcake.
- Decorate: Sprinkle green sanding sugar on top of each cupcake for a festive touch.
- Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. They can be kept at room temperature for 1 to 2 days safely due to the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for smooth frosting.
- If you don’t have a food processor, crumbling the Christmas Tree Cakes with a hand mixer works but results in a less smooth texture.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant red frosting without altering consistency.
- Do not overfill cupcake liners to avoid overflow during baking.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent frosting from melting.
- Store cupcakes refrigerated because of the cream cheese to keep them fresh longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
