Santa Cupcakes Recipe 15

SANTA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes, filling paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; cool completely. , Tint 2/3 cup frosting red with food coloring. Place 3 tablespoons white frosting in a food-safe plastic bag; cut a 1/4-in. hole in one corner and reserve for piping., Use remaining white frosting to cover two-thirds of each cupcake. For hats, cover remaining third of each cupcake with red frosting. Pipe fur trim with white frosting; add marshmallows for pompoms. Decorate with M&M's, Red Hots and jimmies for faces; add coconut for beards.

CHRISTMAS SANTA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost each cupcake with a thin layer of vanilla frosting. Pour red sprinkles into a small bowl and dip the lower third of each frosted cupcake into the sugar to make Santa's hat. Create a white rim for the hat by placing about 6 white chocolate chips, flat-side up, at the edge of the red sugar section. Stick 1 white chocolate chip on the top as a pom-pom.
• Place 2 mini chocolate chips in Santa's face for the eyes and a red candy-coated chocolate piece for the nose. Sprinkle coconut flakes over the bottom third for the beard.

SANTA LEG CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Spread a thick layer of white frosting onto each cupcake. Create a snow-like effect with a palette knife or the back of a spoon.
• Spoon the remaining frosting into a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe rows of rectangles, offset from one another, onto the base of the cupcake to create 'bricks'.
• Shape red fondant into 24 small cylinders for Santa's legs. Shape the black fondant into 24 boots or shoes. Divide the white fondant into 24 balls and flatten into round circles.
• Glue the white fondant circles onto the bottom of each red leg with a bit of water. Affix a black boot to the bottom of each red leg, then use a spoon to create the soles.
• Use your fingers to slightly narrow the other end of each leg. Stick the narrow ends of two legs into each cupcake. Repeat with remaining legs and cupcakes.

ELF & SANTA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line bun tins with paper cake cases. Put all the ingredients for the cupcakes in a large bowl using 4 tbsp of the orange juice, then beat together for 1-2 mins until smooth.
• Spoon the cake mix into the cases, so they are three-quarters full. Bake for 15-18 mins or until golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack.
• For the icing, beat the butter, vanilla and icing sugar until pale and creamy, adding 1-2 tbsp warm water to loosen, if needed. Ice the cakes with a palette knife or use a piping bag to create swirls deep enough to hold the Santa and elf legs.
• For the legs, make a batch of fondant icing following the pack instructions. Cut the candy canes and pencil sweets into 4cm lengths. Use green fondant icing to mould elf boots around the candy cane legs and black fondant icing to mould Santa boots around the strawberry pencil legs. Add some white fondant around the top of Santa boots. Use the made-up fondant icing to stick a silver or gold ball onto each toe of the elf boots. Let the boots dry completely. Use our chimney template, to make paper sleeves to wrap around the cupcake cases. Push the legs into the cupcakes just before serving.