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Easy reindeer cupcakes with chocolate antlers and red noses arranged on festive holiday platter

Easy Reindeer Cupcakes

Adorable holiday cupcakes decorated with chocolate antlers and colorful frosting to create charming reindeer faces. Perfect for Christmas parties and family baking.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Course: Dessert, Holiday Treats
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 Cupcakes use favorite recipe or boxed mix
  • 1 cup Candy melts chocolate for antlers
  • 1 tube Wilton red icing for noses
  • 1 tube Wilton brown icing for reindeer faces
  • 1 tube Wilton black decorator icing for eyes
  • 24 Eyeball sprinkles optional alternative for eyes
  • 12 Red peanut butter M&Ms optional alternative for noses

Equipment

  • Cupcake baking pan
  • Cooling rack
  • cookie scoop
  • Wilton #4 decorating tips
  • Wilton #10 decorating tips
  • Disposable decorating bags
  • Microwave-safe bowl
  • parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Prepare cupcake batter and place paper liners in cupcake pan. Using cookie scoop, fill cavities evenly and bake at 350°F for 17 minutes.
  2. While cupcakes bake, melt chocolate candy melts in microwave-safe bowl on 30% power in 30-second increments until smooth.
  3. Fit disposable bag with #4 tip, fill with melted chocolate, and draw Y-shaped antlers on parchment paper. Make extras and allow to dry completely.
  4. Cool baked cupcakes on wire rack for 15-20 minutes until completely cool.
  5. Prepare decorating bags: two with #10 tips filled with red and brown icing, one with #4 tip filled with black icing.
  6. Hold brown icing bag vertically and swirl frosting clockwise from outer edge to center of each cupcake.
  7. Gently press two chocolate antlers into each cupcake at slight angles.
  8. Use black icing to create two small dots for eyes on each reindeer face.
  9. Finish by piping red icing dot for nose, or press red M&M into frosting for alternative nose.

Notes

Make extra chocolate antlers as some may break. Store decorated cupcakes in airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Best results when cupcakes are completely cool before decorating.