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Decorated snowman cupcakes against a grey background with a glass of milk on the side.
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5 from 11 votes

Snowman Cupcakes

These snowman cupcakes are festive fun for the whole family or for a holiday party. This is a perfect holiday cupcake recipe that uses box mix to cut down on prep time, and adorable easy tips to make decorating a breeze! This easy recipe is great to enjoy all season long!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cool and Decorate30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 214.3kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix plus ingredients called for on the box (typically: half a cup of oil and 3 eggs)

White Frosting

  • 1 stick butter softened
  • 2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk

Decorations

Instructions

  • Prepare cupcakes according to package’s directions. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.
  • As the cupcakes cool, use an electric mixer to beat together butter, confectioners’ sugar and milk. Once all ingredients are well-combined, the buttercream is ready.
  • Use an offset spatula to frost each cupcake with a hefty amount of buttercream.
  • Dip each frosted cupcake in the bowl of sugar.
  • Decorate each cupcake with a “snowman face” by using the black and orange frosting, attaching Wilton icing tip #5 to each frosting.

Video

https://youtu.be/kRniq6GvVE4

Notes

Storage Directions
  • Refrigeration: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend taking them out of the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
  • Freezing: Cupcakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the cupcakes at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until thawed through.
Expert Tips 
  • Cake Mix Directions. Follow the directions on the box for the cake mix you choose. Different cake mixes can have slightly different directions, ingredients, and bake times.
  • Room Temperature Butter. Make sure the butter is at room temperature before beating it with the sugar to create the frosting. If it’s too cold it won’t whip, and if it’s melted it will be too loose and runny not be the right texture.
  • Adding Sugar to the Frosting. When using the stand mixer for the buttercream frosting add small amounts of the confectioner’s sugar at a time, increasing from medium speed to high speed.
  • Thinning the Frosting. If the frosting is too thick you can beat in add a tablespoon of milk at a time, until the desired consistency.
  • Piping Tip Alternatives. Use a pastry bag and frosting tips to get a neat and clean look when decorating these cute cupcakes. If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a small plastic bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners as an icing bag.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 214.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.7g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Cholesterol: 33.6mg | Sodium: 165.9mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 24.5g