Christmas baking has a way of pulling everyone into the kitchen — kids perched on stools, parents mixing batter, grandparents sneaking in for a taste test. The laughter, the mess, the shared sparkle of creating something together… these are the memories that last.

And while the cupcakes in this collection are glamorous, elegant, and far from traditional holiday designs, the heart behind them is beautifully timeless:
baking together, bonding, creating joy, and giving homemade treats from the heart.

These cupcakes are perfect for gifting, perfect for parties, and perfect for bringing the family together for a holiday baking moment you’ll never forget.

Let’s begin with the first three…

---

1. Emerald Green Wreath Cupcake (Elegant Holiday Glam)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• Emerald green gel food coloring

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your pan with white or gold liners.
2. Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl.
3. Mix buttermilk, oil, egg, vanilla, and vinegar in another.
4. Combine wet and dry mixtures.
5. Add green gel color until you reach a rich emerald tone.
6. Fill liners ⅔ full and bake 18–20 minutes.
7. Cool completely before decorating.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Beat butter until creamy.
2. Add cream cheese and blend smooth.
3. Add powdered sugar gradually until thick and pipeable.
4. Tint half the frosting deep emerald green for the wreath.

1. Spread a thin layer of white frosting over each cupcake.
2. Fit a piping bag with a small star tip (Wilton #18).
3. Pipe a circular wreath around the edge.
4. Add gold dragees and white pearls as ornaments.
5. Shape a tiny bow from red fondant and place it at the top.
6. Lightly dust with edible gold luster for a soft glam shine.

Supplies

• Star piping tip (#18)
• Red fondant
• Gold dragees, pearl sprinkles
• Edible gold dust
• Piping bags

---

2. Snowy Midnight Blue Forest Cupcake (Moody, Luxe & Wintery)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Add milk and vanilla.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix gently.
5. Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes.

Midnight Blue Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• Navy gel food coloring
• A tiny drop of black color to deepen shade

Instructions:
Beat butter and sugar together → add milk → add coloring until a rich midnight blue forms.

Decorating Instructions

1. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (1M).
2. Pipe tall, swirling “tree” peaks.
3. Dust lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
4. Add edible silver stars cascading down the swirl.
5. Cut a small white fondant reindeer silhouette and press into the top.

Supplies

• Wilton 1M piping tip
• Powdered sugar
• Silver star sprinkles
• White fondant
• Mini reindeer cutter

---

3. Peppermint Candy Cane Swirl Cupcake (Fun, Pretty & Frosty Chic)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 oz melted white chocolate
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and melted white chocolate.
3. Mix in dry ingredients and milk.
4. Bake at 350°F, 18–20 minutes.

Peppermint Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• Red gel coloring (for half the batch)

Instructions:

1. Beat butter and sugar; add milk as needed.
2. Add peppermint extract.
3. Divide frosting: one bowl white, one tinted red.
4. Fill piping bag with both colors side-by-side for a candy cane swirl.

Decorating Instructions

1. Pipe a tall swirl with a 1M star tip.
2. Roll the edges of the frosting in crushed candy cane pieces.
3. Twist a tiny rope of red and white fondant into a mini candy cane.
4. Place on top for a pretty, glam finish.

Supplies

• Wilton 1M piping tip
• Crushed candy canes
• Red & white fondant
• Gel food coloring
• Piping bags

---

4. Golden Gingerbread House Cupcake (Warm, Cozy & Luxurious)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup molasses
• ½ cup hot water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk dry spices and flour together.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar; add egg.
4. Add molasses and mix well.
5. Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water.
6. Bake 18–20 minutes.

Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup caramel sauce

Instructions:
Beat all ingredients together until smooth and pipeable.

Decorating Instructions

1. Pipe a smooth swirl using a round or star tip.
2. Drizzle a touch of caramel over the swirl.
3. Form a tiny gingerbread house from fondant or purchase mini edible toppers.
4. Add white royal icing “snow” along the roof.
5. Dust with golden sugar crystals for a warm glow.

Supplies

• Mini gingerbread house topper or fondant
• Gold sugar crystals
• Royal icing
• Piping bags

---

5. White Chocolate Snowflake Elegance Cupcake (Pure, Chic, Winter-Glam)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 oz melted white chocolate
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt.
2. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs.
3. Mix in melted white chocolate.
4. Add dry ingredients + milk alternately.
5. Bake 350°F, 18–20 min.

White Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Beat until creamy and stiff enough to pipe delicate details.

Decorating Instructions

1. Using a petal tip or small round tip, pipe lacy snowflake patterns on top.
2. Add edible silver leaf flakes.
3. Place a large crystal sugar snowflake at the center.
4. Finish with a dusting of edible sparkle for a frosty glow.

Supplies

• Small round piping tip or petal tip
• Edible silver leaf
• Sugar snowflakes
• Edible glitter

---

6. Ruby Red Poinsettia Cupcake (Bold, Festive, Luxury Floral)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:
(Use your base red velvet recipe from Cupcake #1 or any favorite red velvet.)

Ivory Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• A drop of ivory/cream gel color

Instructions:
Beat all ingredients until smooth.

Buttercream for Poinsettia

• Separate ½ of the batch and tint ruby red
• Tint a small amount leaf green

Decorating Instructions

1. Frost the cupcake with a smooth ivory base.
2. Fit a piping bag with a petal tip (#104) and pipe layered red petals to form the poinsettia.
3. Add a cluster of gold pearls to the center.
4. Pipe two small green leaves to finish the floral look.

Supplies

• Petal tip #104
• Gold pearl sprinkles
• Red & green gel colors

---

7. Pink Ombré Christmas Tree Cupcake (Whimsical, Feminine, Glam-Pastel)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Any vanilla cupcake base works here.)

Pink Ombre Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp milk
• Pink gel color (light + deeper rose)

Instructions:

1. Divide frosting into 3 bowls:
   • deep rose
   • medium pink
   • soft blush
2. Layer in piping bag to create natural ombré.

Decorating Instructions

1. Use a large star tip (1M) to pipe tall tree-like swirls.
2. Add mini colorful bauble sprinkles.
3. Place a gold fondant star or sugar star on top.
4. Finish with a light dusting of iridescent glitter for a magical glow.

Supplies

• 1M piping tip
• Mini sprinkle baubles
• Gold star topper
• Edible glitter

---

8. Champagne Gold Bell Cupcake (Soft, Sophisticated Holiday Glam)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Use a vanilla or champagne-infused cupcake base.)

Rose Gold Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Champagne or rose-gold gel coloring

Instructions:
Beat until smooth and color to match a champagne-gold tone.

Decorating Instructions

1. Using a round piping tip, pipe frosting into a bell shape (wider top, tapering slightly down).
2. Add a tiny gold fondant ball as the clapper.
3. Place a thin gold fondant ribbon around the top of the bell.
4. Add flakes of edible gold leaf for true luxury.

Supplies

• Round piping tip
• Gold fondant
• Edible gold leaf
• Small fondant tools

---

9. Holly Berry & Mistletoe Cupcake (Classic Motif, Modern Glam Design)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Chocolate cupcake base works best here.)

Deep Green Buttercream

Tint buttercream with deep forest green gel color.

Decorating Instructions

1. Fit piping bag with leaf tip (#352).
2. Pipe holly leaves around the cupcake.
3. Add clusters of red pearl berries.
4. Use tiny white pearl sprinkles to mimic mistletoe.
5. Dust very lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy finish.

Supplies

• Leaf tip #352
• Red pearls
• White pearls
• Powdered sugar

---

10. Nordic Fair Isle Sweater Cupcake (Cozy, Cute, Scandinavian Glam)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Vanilla or spiced vanilla base.)

Sweater Texture Buttercream

Tint some frosting white
Tint smaller amounts red and forest green

Decorating Instructions

Supplies

• Small round tips (#2, #3, #4)
• Red & green gel colors
• Mini fondant reindeer or snowflake (optional)

---

11. Frosted Rosé Ornament Cupcake (Soft Pink, Gold & Holiday-Chic)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Vanilla or strawberry cupcake base.)

Rosé Buttercream

Tint buttercream soft blush pink.

Decorating Instructions

1. Pipe a smooth dome of pink frosting.
2. Roll the dome in fine shimmering sugar to mimic ornament glass.
3. Add a small gold fondant “cap” at the top of the ornament.
4. Press a thin gold fondant loop or mini hook to finish the look.

Supplies

• Fine sanding sugar (pink or iridescent)
• Gold fondant
• Small round cutter

---

12. Luxe Velvet Ribbon Bow Cupcake (Glamorous, Sophisticated & Modern)

Cupcake Recipe (12 cupcakes)

(Chocolate or red velvet base works beautifully.)

Silky Buttercream

Tint frosting ivory, champagne, or soft blush for a luxe feel.

Decorating Instructions

1. Pipe a smooth swirl on top.
2. Using fondant, roll thin elegant strips to form a bow with long tails.
3. Dust bow lightly with edible pearl or velvet-effect powder.
4. Place bow on top of swirl for a high-fashion holiday look.

Supplies

• Fondant roller
• Pearl dust
• Sharp knife or ribbon cutter