Pull Apart Cupcake Christmas Tree Recipes

PULL-APART CUPCAKE SNOWMAN

Steps:

• Arrange 14 cupcakes in a tight circle on a platter or cake board for the body and 7 cupcakes in a smaller tight circle for the head. Add 2 cupcakes for the scarf.
• Using a small serrated knife, cut 7 chocolate wafer cookies in half; spread frosting on the back and arrange around the edge of the cupcake circles as shown to round out the shape.
• Cut 6 more cookies into quarters. Spread frosting on the back, then use to fill in the gaps between the cupcakes.
• Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe dots of varying size all over the cupcakes and cookies to cover completely. Add chocolate candies for eyes and buttons and trim a circus peanut for the nose. Roll out the fondant until 1/4 inch thick; trim into 2 strips for the scarf and fringe the ends. Place on the snowman.

CUPCAKE CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the cups of 2 to 4 mini muffin tins with paper liners (you can bake the cupcakes in batches if necessary). Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the eggs and milk and mix until well combined. Drizzle in the oil and the vanilla and almond extracts and mix. With the mixer running at low speed, add the boiling water and mix just until smooth. Fill the lined muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake until risen and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pans. Frosting: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until smooth. Add more milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick and spreadable. Using a flexible spatula, frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before assembling the tree.
• To assemble the tree, spread a thick layer of sprinkles out on a plate. Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the sprinkles and set aside. Tie curling ribbon around the candy canes and curl with a scissor blade. One inch up from the bottom of the styrofoam cone, stick toothpicks into the cone 1 1/2 inches apart, making a circle around the cone and leaving them sticking out at least 1 inch. Place the cone on a serving platter. Make the bottom ring of cupcakes by spearing the bottom of a cupcake onto one of the toothpicks in the cone, with the frosting facing out and with the side of the cupcake resting on the plate. One inch above the tops of the first row of cupcakes, place another row of toothpicks 1 1/2 inches apart, all around the cone, positioning them so that the second row will rest between the tops of the first row. You will fit fewer cupcakes on the second row; feel free to cut a cupcake in half if necessary to fit into the space available. Spear the cupcakes onto the toothpicks as before. Continue up the cone to form a tree of cupcakes, ending with a single cupcake on top. Serve within one hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Stick the candy canes in the styrofoam and stick gilded cranberries on with a little extra icing. Pour sugar on the serving platter around the tree. To gild the cranberries, roll them on the sheets of gold leaf to roughly coat.

CHEESY GARLIC PULL-APART CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 18x14-inch cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• Cut each cheese stick into 4 pieces to make 64 pieces. Separate each can of dough into 8 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers for a total of 32 biscuit rounds. Flatten each biscuit round into 4-inch circle.
• Place 2 pieces of the same type of cheese on center of each round. Fold edges up and over cheese; pinch firmly to seal. Using photo as a guide, place biscuits randomly by assorted cheeses, seam sides down and next to each other in a tree-shaped pattern on cookie sheet, starting with trunk and working up to the top.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds or until melted. Stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brush mixture on tops of biscuits. Bake 29 to 33 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy in center.
• Top with chives. In small microwavable bowl, microwave pizza sauce covered on High 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway through, until warmed through. Serve cheese-stuffed biscuits with pizza sauce.