By: Jill Mills Posted: Nov 28, 2023

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These adorable Santa Hat Cupcakes are made with fresh strawberries and topped with a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfect for adding a festive touch to your Christmas celebrations!

Santa Hat Christmas Cupcake Recipe

While these Santa hat cupcakes might look elaborate, they are so easy to make. This is a fun Holiday activity you can make with the kids. The rich chocolate cupcake base, the smooth vanilla buttercream, and the fresh strawberries combine to create an irresistible treat that everyone at your Holiday gathering will love.

What You’ll Need

Chocolate cake mix- Using a box mix, with eggs and canola oil, will save you time but don’t worry. With the added ingredients you won’t be able to tell it is a box mix. If you would rather not use a box cake mix, feel free to make homemade chocolate cupcakes.
Milk, Sour cream, and Vanilla: These added ingredients will take the chocolate cake mix to bakery style.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting– You can use a store-bought frosting, but my vanilla buttercream frosting is absolutely amazing and really easy to make.
Strawberries- Fresh strawberries are a must when making the cupcakes. Frozen strawberries will not have the same look or texture.

How to Make Santa Hat Cupcakes

Just a few simple steps for these adorable Christmas cupcakes loved by kids and adults!

Make the Chocolate Cupcakes: Using a electric mixer, combine the cake mix, eggs, canola oil, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Fill the cupcake liners in the muffin pan with cupcake batter about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Make the frosting: While the cupcakes are baking, use the vanilla frosting recipe to make a batch. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip.

Decorate: Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Add a strawberry upside down onto the frosting. Top the tip of the strawberry with a small dot of frosting to complete the Santa hat look.

Can I Use a Different Flavor Cupcake?

I am using chocolate but you can use whatever flavor of cupcake you like. You can easily use a vanilla cupcake or get creative and make chocolate filled cupcakes, hot chocolate cupcakes, Red Velvet cupcakes, or even lemon cupcakes. Another idea is to add extracts to chocolate or vanilla cake mixes. You can add peppermint, gingerbread or eggnog to make fun and unique flavor combinations.

Storing Santa Hat Cupcakes

If you have leftover Santa hat cupcakes, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store them longer, place them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving. Cupcakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Tips for Success

- Make sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before adding the frosting and decorations.
- If you don’t have a piping bag and metal tip, you can use a plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
- To make the frosting smoother, add a little bit of milk or heavy cream and mix well.
- Want to use cream cheese frosting? This is my favorite recipe: Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- Get creative with your decorations by using different types of candies, sprinkles, or food coloring.

Other Christmas Cupcake Toppers

If Santa hats aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other festive cupcake decorating ideas for your next holiday party. You can make :

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