Elf Santa Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake and cool completely as directed on box for cupcakes.
• Frost cupcakes with frosting, reserving 1 tablespoon frosting. Place one apricot half on each side of cupcakes for ears. Cut each fruit snack into 4 triangles. Place 1 triangle on top of each cupcake, folding pointed end over to form hat. Attach 1 gumdrop half to pointed end of each hat using reserved frosting. Use remaining gumdrop halves for nose, and chocolate chips for eyes. Pipe mouth with red decorator frosting. Store loosely covered.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 22 muffin cups with paper liners., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and 1 egg at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well., Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, beat butter, shortening and vanilla until blended; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Spread over cupcakes., To decorate, break off curved end of candy canes; reserve straight portion for elf legs. Cut strawberry or lime marshmallows diagonally in half and attach to legs for shoes; insert into frosting. Cut orange marshmallows diagonally in half for ears. Insert kisses and orange marshmallows for elf heads.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.
• In blender or food processor, place beets. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth. Pour 1/2 cup beet mixture in large bowl (reserve remaining for another use). Add egg product, sugar, vanilla, oil and yogurt, stirring well to combine. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread on cupcakes. Top each with 1 strawberry and an additional dot of frosting.

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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggnog, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.
• Squeeze green cookie icing into bowl. Place sanding sugar on plate. Cover each ice cream cone with thin layer of cookie icing using frosting spatula. Roll cones in sanding sugar to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Place flat ribbon applicator tip on extruder of red cupcake icing. Pipe line of red icing around bottom edge (non-pointed end) of each cone.
• Cover each cupcake with small amount of fluffy white frosting. Dip frosted cupcakes in sanding sugar. Top each cupcake with 1 sugar cone.
• Cut each yellow fruit chew into 3 pieces; knead each until soft. Roll pieces into balls; gently press 1 ball onto tip of each sugar cone.
• Cut each pink fruit chew into 2 pieces; mold each into square. Cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles. Flatten each triangle slightly; place 1 on either side of hats to create "elf ears." Store cupcakes loosely covered.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in food color and vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• 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. Set aside 1 tablespoon frosting; frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Cut each orange gumdrop in half; shape into triangles. Place 2 pieces on each cupcake for ears. Cut each fruit snack into 4 triangles. Place 1 triangle on each cupcake for hat, folding pointed end over. With reserved frosting, attach 1 green gumdrop half to pointed end of hat. Use red gumdrops halves for nose and chocolate chips for eyes. Pipe red icing for mouth.