Easy Cupcakes

These Christmas cupcakes are understated enough for a classy holiday event, yet fun for a more-casual party. Eat them the day you make them, or the red from the cinnamon imperials might “run.”

What You Need: 1 cupcake (baked and cooled); white frosting; cinnamon imperials (“red hots”); green leaf-shaped sprinkles (they don’t have to be ivy; we used maple leaf shapes).
Make That Cupcake!: Frost cupcake white. You can go for a flat or a fluffy appearance. Randomly place red hots on cupcakes. Add one or two green leaves at edges of red hots.

These cute Santa cupcakes are quick to make and would make a great kids’ activity for the holidays. Just set up a “cupcake station” with marshmallows, M&Ms, red hots and coconut and let them have at it!

What You Need: 1 cupcake (baked and cooled); white or off-white frosting; red food coloring; coconut flakes; brown M&Ms; cinnamon imperials (red hots); miniature marshmallows.
Make That Cupcake!: Be sure to reserve some frosting to tint red using paste or liquid food coloring. Frost lower 2/3 of cupcake top white and top 1/3 red. Add a row of marshmallows where the two colors meet to make the brim of his Santa cap. Stick one marshmallow near the back for the tip of his cap. Sprinkle on coconut beard. Add brown M&M eyes and red hot nose. Ho, ho–you’re done!