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Mini Reindeer Cupcakes

Mini reindeer cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes topped with fluffy chocolate frosting, pretzel antlers, candy eyes, and red candy noses. Bake them in a 24-cup mini muffin pan for a festive bite-size dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 0.75 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 egg large
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup water boiling
For the frosting
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
For the decorations
  • 48 pretzel twists mini
  • 48 candy eyeballs
  • 24 red candy-coated chocolates

Equipment

  • 1 24-cup mini muffin pan
  • 1 microwave

Method
 

Bake the cupcakes
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
  4. Whisk the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth.
  5. Carefully whisk in the boiling water.
  6. Divide the thin batter evenly among the liners.
  7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes.
  9. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the frosting
  1. Microwave the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth.
  2. Cool the chocolate until no longer warm to the touch.
  3. Beat the butter in a bowl until smooth.
  4. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
  5. Beat in the cooled chocolate and heavy cream until fluffy and spreadable.
Decorate the cupcakes
  1. Spread frosting over each cooled cupcake.
  2. Press two pretzels into the top of each cupcake for antlers.
  3. Add two candy eyeballs to each cupcake.
  4. Place one red candy-coated chocolate below the eyes for the nose.

Notes

For neat antlers, press the pretzels in after frosting each cupcake. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze unfrosted cupcakes or completed cupcakes for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free milk, butter, cream, and chocolate.