Make Ahead
Reindeer Cupcakes
Prep Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes Start to Finish: 2 Hours 5 Minutes 24 cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
- ⅔ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- ¾ cup shortening
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- Decorations
- Chocolate candy sprinkles
- 24 large pretzel twists
- 24 miniature marshmallows
- 24 small green gumdrops
- 24 red cinnamon candies
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2 In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
3 In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
4 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks; cool completely.
5 In large bowl, mix butter and chocolate. Stir in powdered sugar. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in remaining milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. (If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.) Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle candy sprinkles over tops of cupcakes.
6 For each cupcake, cut pretzel twist in half; poke into cupcake for reindeer antlers. Cut miniature marshmallow in half; arrange on cupcake for eyes. Center gumdrop below marshmallow halves for nose. Place red cinnamon candy below gumdrop for mouth.
1 Frosted Cupcake (Undecorated): Calories 360; Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 410mg; Total Carbohydrate 55g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 4g Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2½ Other Carbohydrate, 2½ Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3½
Make-Ahead Magic Baked, cooled cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable freezer plastic bag up to 4 months. Frost and decorate the frozen cupcakes—they’ll thaw while you’re decorating!
Kitchen Secrets Save time by substituting 1 box devil’s food cake mix with pudding for the Chocolate Cupcakes and 1 container (1 pound) chocolate creamy ready-to-spread frosting for the Frosting. Bake and cool cupcakes as directed on box, then decorate as directed.
