Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake is a fun and festive way to display your holiday cupcakes. The green food coloring frosting and decoration makes this the perfect holiday dessert.

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We love making all the holiday candies, cookies, and cupcakes for our holiday baking. It really gets us all the Christmas mood with all the fun desserts and decorations. This Easy Christmas Tree Pull Apart Cupcake cake is one of our favorites.
If you are hosting the holiday dinner this year, this Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake would be perfect to make. It is would be ideal as a centerpiece on your dessert table. Check out more Christmas Cupcake Recipes – Santa Hat Cupcakes, Eggnog Cupcakes and The Grinch Cupcakes Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
If you are looking for a fun and festive holiday cupcakes, make these cupcake cake. You can use store bought cupcakes or make your own. It is great for your holiday table or any holiday parties.
These cupcakes can be made in a variety of ways. Have fun and make memories making this easy holiday cupcake cake.
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variation Ideas
- Buttercream Frosting – Feel free to use different frosting to make this recipe. You can make a vanilla frosting, white frosting or a cream cheese frosting to top the cupcakes.
- Cupcakes – We used a box cupcake mix to make the cupcakes but you can make homemade cupcakes. You can even make chocolate cupcakes.
- Decorate – You can easily add your own decorations to these cupcakes.
How to Make Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake
Step 1 – Prepare Cupcakes – Prepare a batch of at least 24 cupcakes and cool completely. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until cooked in cupcake liners. Place on cooling rack or wire rack until cooled.
Step 2 – Whip Butter – Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter and vegetable shortening. Mix for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally, beating until the butter is very fluffy. We recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
Step 3 – Add in Powdered Sugar – Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Mix until incorporated into the butter then add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Beat for about 60 seconds.
Step 4 – Continue with Powdered Sugar – Next, add an additional 2 cups of powdered sugar. Add the last 1 cup powdered sugar along with milk. Increase speed to medium-high. Then beat for another 3-5 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting.
Step 5 – Separate Frosting – Separate out ¼ cup of the finished frosting. Mix in 2-3 teaspoons cocoa powder until well combined. You may need to add 1 teaspoon milk to help incorporate the cocoa powder.
Step 6 – Dye Frosting – Dye the rest of your remaining frosting green.
- Step 7 – Start with Trunk – Set up your cupcakes in the shape of a tree with 2 cupcakes for the trunk. Place a small dollop of frosting on each cupcake. Then spread evenly with an angled spatula.
Step 8 – Spread Brown Frosting – For the bottom two cupcakes, spread the brown frosting evenly across. Then use a fork to create downward strokes to create a rough texture to give the look of tree trunks.
Step 9 – Piping Bag – Place the remaining green frosting into a piping bag. Using a large star tip, pipe large stars over all of the cupcakes. Making sure to fill in all the holes.
Step 10 – Top with Sprinkles – Top with Christmas Sprinkles to look like ornaments.
Recipe Tips
- Cake Board – To easily shape the cupcakes into a tree, use a cake board.
- Piping Tips – Use piping star shaped tip to create star like shapes on top of the cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
We usually use chocolate cupcakes or vanilla cupcakes made from a box cake mix. But you can make a cake from scratch. Use what you prefer.
Store the leftovers in a cupcake pan with a lid to store. Store at room temperature in the fridge. These cupcakes will last about a week.
More Christmas Tree Shaped Desserts
We love to hear from you. If you make Pull Apart Christmas Tree Cupcakes, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake
Ingredients
- 24 vanilla cupcakes prepared – can be chocolate too
- 3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup butter or margarine softened
- 2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 6 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Green gel food coloring
- 2-3 teaspoons cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare a batch of at least 24 cupcakes and cool completely.
- Using the paddle attachment, whip the butter and vegetable shortening for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally, beating until the butter is very fluffy.
- Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated into the butter then add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Beat for about 60 seconds.
- Next, add an additional 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.
- Add the last 1 cup powdered sugar along with milk.
- Beat on low until the ingredients start to mix together.
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 3-5 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting.
- Color the frosting.
- Separate out ¼ cup of the finished frosting. Mix in 2-3 teaspoons cocoa powder until well combined. You may need to add 1 teaspoon milk to help incorporate the cocoa powder.
- Dye the rest of your remaining frosting green.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Set up your cupcakes in the shape of a tree with 2 cupcakes for the trunk. For the cupcakes you’ll be frosting with green frosting, place a small dollop of frosting on each cupcake and spread evenly with an angled spatula spreading the icing across all the cupcakes to make them look like one cake.
- For the bottom two cupcakes, spread the brown frosting evenly across. Then use a fork to create downward strokes to create a rough texture to give the look of tree trunks.
- Place the remaining green frosting into a piping bag. Using a large star tip, pipe large stars over all of the cupcakes making sure to fill in all the holes.
- In the end the frosting should cover the tree entirely looking like a cake.
- Top with Christmas Sprinkles to look like ornaments.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow your guests to pull apart the cupcakes to enjoy.