The Grinch Cupcakes Recipe

We love making Grinch desserts during the Christmas Season. Everyone always loves them and these cupcakes are so easy to make. The red velvet cupcakes are prepared easily with a cake mix and then topped with a simple green frosting.

Adding the red heart sprinkle gives these cupcakes that extra decoration to complete these fun and festive Christmas Desserts.

Whether you are putting up your Christmas tree or watching How the Grinch stole Christmas movie, these cupcakes are sure to put you in the holiday mood.

You might also like our Christmas Tree Cupcake Cake or these Reindeer Cupcakes.

Why We Love This Recipe

If you are looking for a fun and festive dessert to celebrate the holidays with, these Grinch Cupcakes are always on my list. They are easy to make and you can use any type of cake mix.

This cupcake is perfect to make for your kids class party or even for your holiday dinner. The green frosting is easily made with simple ingredients. Make sure to add a red heart or red sprinkles for a fun and festive treat.

Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom to see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and recipe.

Variations Ideas

• Cake Mix – Feel free to use different types of cake mix to make this recipe.
• Frosting – You can also use cream cheese frosting or store bought frosting.

How to Make Grinch Cupcakes

Step 1 – Prepare the red velvet cake mix based on the cupcake instructions using the red cupcake liners. Use a cooking scoop to put about ½ cup of batter into each liner in the muffin tins. Bake at preheated oven at 350 degrees. Cool completely before frosting the light and fluffy cupcakes.

Step 2 – In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and butter until combined and smooth.

Step 3 – Then (1 cup at a time) slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed until well combined with a electric mixer. Make sure butter and sugar are completely mixed together.

Step 4 – Next stir in the teaspoon vanilla extract and milk until combined. Then add a few drops of the green food coloring until the frosting is a bright green color,

• Step 6 – Add frosting to piping bag – Then use a 1M piping tip and a decorator’s bag, fill it with the green frosting.
• Step 7 – Frosting Cupcake – Gently frosting each cupcake.  You want to slowly build up the frosting on top of the cupcake using a circular motion fill up to a tip. Place on wire rack after decorating.
• Step 8 – Add heart – Finally place a heart on the side of each of the icing.
• Step 9 – Serve and Enjoy – The grinch cupcakes are ready to serve and enjoy.

Recipe Tips

• Cookie Scoop – Save time and use a cookie scoop to scoop cupcake batter in the holders. I have a set of stainless steel cookie scoops that I love and they make baking so much easier. You can order a set here.
• Mixer – You certainly can use a hand mixer but we love our stand mixer with the paddle attachment. It gets a ton of use and to this day is such a good investment. We bake a lot so it is so handy and we love our mixer. 
• Cool Cakes – Make sure the cupcakes are really cool before icing. I use a set of these baking racks and they are great.
• Cupcakes Done – Cupcakes takes about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to finish cooking.

What is the Secret to Moist Cupcakes?

To keep you cupcakes moist, do not overmix the batter. We recommend mixing the cupcake batter until the ingredients are combined.

When mixing the cupcake mix it is all about creating air bubbles. If you mix to much then the air bubbles collapse.

How to Decorate

These Grinch Cupcakes are so fun to decorate. We always like to make sure to make the frosting a bright green color. Once the green icing is prepared, then place it in a piping bag.

Then with a 1M tip on the bag begin swirling the frosting in a upward motion to make a tip. Then add on a red heart sprinkle.

If you can’t find a red heart sprinkle, you can easily use a red M&M or add red sprinkles.

How to Store

We recommend storing Grinch Cupcakes in an air tight container at room temperature. The cupcakes will last about a week if stored properly.

Can you Freeze these Cupcakes?

Yes, you can freeze the cupcakes. Because we bake a lot during the holidays, we like to plan ahead and make the desserts we can. You will only freeze the cupcakes, not the frosted ones.

Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil. The double layering of the cupcakes allows them to stay fresh.

Once you are ready to serve, thaw the cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight. We recommend not frosting if you are going to freeze the cupcakes. Once the cupcakes have thawed, then you can frost.