Holly cupcakes
(Image credit: Future)

Holly cupcakes are very Christmassy and easy to make with our step by step recipe. You can use the decoration to decorate larger cakes, or your Christmas cake

How about having a go at another fabulous Christmas cupcake design with our Christmas Rudolph cranberry cupcakes!

Ingredients

Step 1

Step 1

For this recipe, you don’t necessarily need the proper cookie cutters. Search around the kitchen and you are bound to find something which is equally good for cutting circles. The holly can be any size, it’s entirely up to you.

Step 2

Step 2

For the leaves, roll the green modelling paste out to 2mm thick and cut a circle, then using the same cutter again cut the leaf shapes from each side.

Step 3

Step 3

With a sharp or craft knife, emboss a vein into the centre of the leaf length ways and then on the outside edges mark the centre and then in between the centres.

Step 4

Step 4

Using the smaller cutter, cut a small section of the leaves away to make the points. Use your marks as a guide.

Step 5

Step 5

To make the berries, roll tiny balls of red fondant or modelling paste.

Step 6

Step 6

To coat the berries, crush some magic sparkles up into a spare glitter pot, then drop the berries in, pop the lid on and give it a little shake.

Step 7

Step 7

You can pattern the leaves and co-ordinate the berries if you have a themed Christmas too.

Step 8

Step 8

Dry the leaves into a slightly bent shape by laying them over food paint brushes. Anything thin will work though, pencils or a fork handle all do the same job. You’ll need to leave these to dry overnight so they don’t go soggy on your cupcakes.

Step 9

Step 9

The next day flat top your cupcakes with a little buttercream. This just fills in the outer edge and makes them look a bit neater.

Step 10

Holly cupcakes

(Image credit: Future)

Then, using a piping bag and a 1M tip, add your swirl and the dried decorations.

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 11 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies