Easy Christmas Baking Recipe: Santa’s Workshop Cupcakes

There’s less than three weeks until Christmas, which means it’s time to party! Whether you’re attending a classroom party with your preschooler or a party at the office, you may find yourself needing to bake something yummy sometime soon.

When you’re feeding a large amount of people, it’s a good idea to keep flavors simple so that you can keep everyone happy- including picky eaters. So how can you add a little holiday spirit to traditional baking? It’s all in the decorations!

I love an adorably decorated cupcake as much as the next person, but when I’m the one doing the decorating, I also want that adorable cupcake to be easy to achieve. This is always true but during the holidays it’s even more important to keep it simple- there’s just no time to pipe icing or roll fondant when you have twenty gifts to wrap, a tree to decorate, and a favorite Christmas movie to watch on repeat.

So if you’re looking for an easy, cute Christmas cupcake idea, consider these Santa’s Workshop Cupcakes!

Santa’s Workshop Cupcakes

You Will Need:

Cupcakes {Use any recipe or box mix you like, or try the basic white cupcake recipe below!}
White frosting
Clear sugar sprinkles
Mini red candy canes
Cupcake toppers {Free printable, see below!}
Wilton Sugar Elves, Reindeer and Santa {I located these in the Seasonal baking aisle at my grocery store for $1.99}

Directions:

1. Generously frost each cupcake with white frosting and dip the frosted top into the white sugar crystals. Set aside and repeat with all the cupcakes.

2. Next, break the top off of each mini candy cane, making a ‘post’ for the tag. Push the post gently into the center of the cupcake and attach the tag. I used a little bit of white frosting on the candy cane and the tag stuck perfectly.

3. Finally, give each cupcake a little candy figure!

Basic White Cupcake Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 C. sugar
½ C. butter, softened
3 egg whites
1 ½ C. flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ C. milk
2 tsp. Vanilla
(2) 12 ct. muffin tins, greased or lined with cupcake liners

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the sugar, butter, vanilla, milk and eggs and mix well. Stir in flour and baking powder, mixing well.

3. Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake tin. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick at around 15-16 minutes and if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.

4. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating!

**Makes approximately 24 cupcakes. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

See how easy those were? Now just print out the toppers below {click to open the PDF} and enjoy!

What’s your biggest baking shortcut?