Santa Hat Cupcakes Recipe: Festive Red Velvet Treats

These Santa Hat Cupcakes are simple to make—even if you’re not an experienced baker. They’re just as easy as the Reindeer cupcakes from last week!

Tip: to get the frosting tall and rounded, place a large dollop of icing in the center of each cupcake first, then pipe around it to shape the hat.

Cupcake Ingredients

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter, softened, plus 4 tablespoons
• ¼ cup softened shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon red velvet extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon red gel food color

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Red gel food coloring, to tint
• 1 bag mini marshmallows

Cupcake Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, shortening, and sugar until light and creamy.
5. Add the egg, vanilla, red velvet extract, and red gel food coloring; mix until combined.
6. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing until just combined.
7. Spoon batter into the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
8. Bake 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Directions

1. Cream the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
2. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until blended.
3. Stir in the vanilla and mix until fully combined. Add red gel food coloring to tint the frosting red as desired.
4. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Twist the open end to push the frosting toward the tip.
5. To pipe the hat shape, start at the outer edge of each cupcake and work toward the center, building height by layering frosting as needed. For a tall, rounded peak, add a dollop in the center first, then pipe around it.
6. Press mini marshmallows along the lower edge of the red frosting to create the white fur trim of Santa’s hat.
7. Place a single mini marshmallow on the tip of each hat for the pom-pom.

These festive cupcakes are perfect for holiday parties and are kid-friendly to decorate. The cream cheese buttercream holds shape well and the mini marshmallows give an authentic, playful look to each Santa hat.