Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these delightful Easy Reindeer Cupcakes. Perfectly moist chocolate cupcakes are transformed into festive reindeer treats with chocolate frosting, pretzel antlers, candy eyes, and colorful noses. Ideal for kids’ parties and holiday baking activities, these cupcakes are as fun to make as they are to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (plus eggs, oil, and water as directed on the package)
- 12 cupcake liners
Decorations
- 1 tub chocolate frosting
- 24 mini pretzels (for antlers)
- 12 vanilla wafers or round cookies (for snouts)
- 12 red or brown candy-coated chocolates (like M&Ms, for noses)
- 24 candy eyes
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Batter: Preheat your oven according to the cake mix package instructions. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners and prepare the chocolate cake batter as directed.
- Bake Cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely.
- Frost Cupcakes: Using a spatula or knife, frost each cooled cupcake with chocolate frosting, smoothing it into a slightly domed top to resemble a reindeer’s face.
- Create Snout: Place one vanilla wafer toward the bottom center of each frosted cupcake to form the reindeer’s snout.
- Add Nose and Eyes: Press one red or brown candy-coated chocolate onto each wafer for the reindeer nose. Above the snout, attach two candy eyes.
- Attach Antlers: Break mini pretzels in half and insert them into the top sides of each cupcake to create antlers, completing the reindeer look.
Notes
- For best flavor, homemade chocolate cupcakes and frosting can be used instead of store-bought.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
- These cupcakes are a fun holiday activity for kids and make great treats for holiday parties.
