Santa Hat Cupcakes

These Santa Hat Cupcakes are so easy to make (and I am not much of a baker!)   They are as easy as the Reindeer cupcakes from last week!

Oh- and before I move on, a tip to get them to be so “tall” in the icing, is to make a glob of icing in the middle of the cupcake FIRST and then ice around it to make it pretty. 😉

Cupcake Ingredients:

2½ C flour
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ C butter, soft, plus 4 tbsp.
¼ C softened shortening
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 TBSP Red Velvet extract
1 C buttermilk
1 TBSP Red gel food color

Frosting Ingredients:

1 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 C powdered sugar
Red gel food coloring
1 bag of mini marshmallows

Cupcake Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Line cupcake tins with paper liners.
-Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
-Mix with a wire whisk.
-In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, shortening and sugar until it is light and creamy.
-Add the egg, vanilla, red velvet extract, and red gel food coloring.
-Mix well.
-Add flour and buttermilk, 1/2 of each at a time, mix until completely combined.
-Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake tins until 2/3’s filled.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
-Cool for 10 minutes.
-Remove from cupcake tins to a wire rack until totally cooled.

Frosting Directions:

-Cream the butter and cream cheese until creamy.
-Mix on low.
-Slowly add powdered sugar until blended.
-Add vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined.
-Scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a large round tip.
-Twist the open end of the pastry bag to force the frosting to the tip.
-Frost the cupcakes by starting on the edge of the cupcake and work toward the center.
-Place the mini marshmallows along the edge of the frosting to resemble the fur on Santa’s hat.
-Add another mini marshmallow to the tip of the frosting for the fur ball on Santa’s hat.