Elf Hat Cupcake Tower (Printable)

Festive cupcakes stacked with colorful elf hat toppers, ideal for holiday parties and sweet celebrations.

# What you'll need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170 g)
06 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 g)
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)

→ Buttercream Frosting

10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 g)
11 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (480 g)
12 - 2–3 tbsp milk (30–45 ml)
13 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Gel food coloring (red, green, yellow, blue)

→ Elf Hat Decorations

15 - 24 sugar cones
16 - Colored fondant or modeling chocolate (red, green, yellow, white)
17 - Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)
18 - Mini marshmallows or white chocolate chips for hat pom-poms
19 - Piping gel or melted white chocolate for attaching decorations

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.
04 - Alternately add the dry flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
06 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla extract and milk. Whip until fluffy. Divide and tint with desired gel food coloring.
07 - Pipe a swirl of colored buttercream onto each cooled cupcake using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
08 - Cover each sugar cone with colored fondant or modeling chocolate. Add decorative details such as stripes and dots. Attach mini marshmallows or white chocolate chips to tips using piping gel or melted chocolate. Optionally, apply edible glitter or sprinkles.
09 - Place an elf hat atop each frosted cupcake, pressing gently to secure.
10 - Arrange the cupcakes on a tiered stand to form a festive tower centerpiece.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • A festive dessert tower that doubles as a seasonal centerpiece.
  • Fun and creative elf hat decorations made from sugar cones and fondant.
  • Classic vanilla cupcakes with rich, colorful buttercream swirls.
  • Perfect for holiday parties, serving 12–24 guests.
  • Vegetarian-friendly and customizable with different frosting colors and cupcake flavors.
02 -
  • Use gel food coloring for bright, vibrant frosting shades without thinning the buttercream.
  • When covering sugar cones with fondant, gently warm the cones for better adhesion.
  • Apply edible glitter sparingly to add sparkle without overpowering the colors.
  • Secure decorations with piping gel or melted white chocolate for a clean, strong hold.
  • Arrange cupcakes in layers on the tower to balance visual appeal and stability.
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