Christmas Light Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

These Christmas light cupcakes are moist vanilla cupcakes filled with mini M&Ms. They are topped with whipped cream cheese, chocolate ganache swirl and more mini M&Ms.

Prep Time40

Cook Time16

Total Time56

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Stephanie Rutherford

Ingredients

Vanilla cupcakes

1 ¾ cups Cake flour
½ tablespoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup White granulated sugar
¼ cup Sour cream room temperature
½ tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
2 Egg whites room temperature
1 Large egg room temperature
½ cup Buttermilk room temperature

Whipped Cream Cheese

8 oz Cream cheese room temperature
1 ½ cups Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Milk
1 cup Heavy cream cold
Mini M&Ms for filling and decoration

Chocolate Ganache

½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup Heavy cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium. Beat for 3 minutes so it is light and fluffy. Add in sour cream and vanilla. Mix on medium until combined.
Add in egg whites and egg one at a time. Mix until just combined. Scrape the bowl and mix again.
Add in ⅓ of dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk. Mix until almost combined. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk and mix. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl and mix for 20 seconds.
Fill up muffin tin about ¾ full. Bake for 16-20 minutes. The cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.
Use a cupcake corer or a sharp knife and remove the center of the cupcakes. Go about ⅔rds down. Save the tops of the cupcakes. Fill all the way with mini M&Ms. Replace the tops.

Whipped Cream Cheese

Place metal mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Then, sift powdered sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Then, add in powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined. Turn to high and beat until smooth.
Add in vanilla and milk. Mix until combined. Use the cold bowl and whisk attachment and beat the heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form.
Pour whipped cream into cream cheese bowl. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold in the whipped cream. Once thoroughly combined, frost the cupcakes. I used wilton tip 2A.

Chocolate Ganache

Pour chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until hot and steaming. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips.
Let it sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula and mix until smooth and glossy. Pour chocolate in a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Pipe a swirl over the frosted cupcakes. Place mini M&Ms on the swirl to create a Christmas light look.

Notes

Flour- Make sure to use cake flour. Make sure it is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cupcakes.

Make sure butter, eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream are room temperature. Pull out 2 hours before baking.

Nutrition