Christmas Tree Cupcakes Recipe

12 people

For a fun and festive treat, these adorable Christmas tree cupcakes will surprise and delight everyone from all ages. Created by Lindt Master Chocolatiers, this recipe adds a Lindt twist, featuring the refreshing flavors of Lindt EXCELLENCE and the creamy indulgence of White Chocolate LINDOR at the heart of each cupcake. Topped with a frosted Christmas tree and cheerful edible decorations, these cupcakes are perfect for holiday gatherings, cozy evenings, or as a showstopping dessert for your Christmas table.

Chocolatier’s Tip

For an extra festive sparkle, garnish the cupcakes with candy canes, holiday sprinkles, or colored sanding sugar to make your edible Christmas trees shine. It's an easy way to elevate your cupcakes from simple desserts to dazzling treats that perfectly capture the joy of the holiday season.

What Are Christmas Tree Cupcakes?

Christmas Tree Cupcakes are a delightful holiday treat, designed to bring festive cheer to your dessert table. This cupcake recipe features a moist and chocolatey base, enhanced with the luxurious taste of mint chocolate, and a creamy, white chocolate surprise at their core. The crowning glory is a frosted "Christmas tree," carefully decorated with edible decorations, making these frosted cupcakes as much a feast for the eyes as they are for the palate.

You can use as many decorations as you like, including beautiful sugar pearls, edible glitter and fondant stars, to add a personalized touch of sparkle to your festive cupcakes.

Can You Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes Ahead of Time?

The holiday season can be overwhelming, but planning ahead can save you time and energy. You can prepare the cupcake bases up to two days before serving and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Be sure to let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before storing them, as this prevents condensation and keeps them from becoming soggy. For the best results, decorate the cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them to keep the frosting fresh and the decorations vibrant.

If you want to make them even further in advance, you can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes. First, allow them to cool completely. Then, wrap each delicious cupcake individually in plastic wrap to protect them from freezer burn and place them in an airtight container. When ready to use, thaw the batch of cupcakes at room temperature before frosting with buttercream icing and decorating. Make sure the frosting is applied only after the cupcakes have fully thawed and cooled to avoid any melting issues.

Ingredients

1 bar (100 g) 70% EXCELLENCE, finely chopped
180 g all-purpose flour
50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
115 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
280 g granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp mint extract
250 mL whole milk
120 g White Chocolate LINDOR truffles
500 g cupcake frosting
Small tub assorted edible decorations

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and leave to melt without stirring for 5–6 minutes, until smooth. Set aside off the heat but on top of the pan.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next one. Beat in the vanilla extract and the mint extract.
Add the dry ingredients from step 2 to the wet ingredients mixture, alternating with milk and stirring well between each addition. Fold in the melted chocolate, then divide the cupcake batter between the cupcake papers, filling each about three-quarters full.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Scoop 1 teaspoon from the center of each cupcake, using a small spoon. Place a white chocolate LINDOR truffle in the center of each cupcake.
Spoon frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch (5 cm) of frosting on each cupcake to resemble a Christmas tree shape. Decorate with sweet balls. Serve and enjoy.