All Activities
Bake Santa-Hat Cupcakes

Bake Santa-Hat Cupcakes
Green highlight

Bake festive Santa-hat cupcakes from scratch or using a mix, decorate with frosting and strawberries, and learn safe oven and decorating skills.

Orange shooting star
Download Guide
Collect Badge
Background blob
Challenge Image
Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to Bake Santa-Hat Cupcakes

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to Make Christmas Tree and Santa Hat Cupcakes | Wilton

What you need
Adult supervision required, butter or oil, buttercream frosting, cooling rack, cupcake liners, cupcake mix or flour sugar baking powder, cupcake tin, eggs, fresh strawberries, measuring cups and spoons, milk, mixing bowl, oven mitts, paper towels, piping bag or plastic bag, small knife, whisk or spoon

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F 175°C.

Step 2

Put cupcake liners into the cupcake tin.

Step 3

Measure and add the ingredients to the mixing bowl following your recipe or package directions.

Step 4

Stir or whisk the ingredients until the batter is smooth and no flour streaks remain.

Step 5

Spoon the batter into each liner until they are about two thirds full.

Step 6

With an adult, place the cupcake tin on the middle oven rack and close the oven door.

Step 7

Set a timer for 16 to 20 minutes and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 8

With an adult, use oven mitts to remove the hot cupcake tin from the oven.

Step 9

Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Step 10

With an adult, wash and pat dry the strawberries then remove the green tops and cut them into cone shapes for Santa hats.

Step 11

Frost each cooled cupcake with buttercream using a piping bag or a spoon to make a smooth snowy cap.

Step 12

Place a strawberry cone on each frosted cupcake and add a small dot of frosting to the tip to make the pom-pom.

Step 13

Share photos of your festive Santa-hat cupcakes on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
Challenge badge placeholder

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have cupcake liners or fresh strawberries?

If you don't have cupcake liners, grease the cupcake tin with butter or nonstick spray before spooning in batter, and if fresh strawberries aren't available use halved strawberries, raspberries, or maraschino cherries shaped into cones for the Santa hats.

My cupcakes sank in the middle or came out wet—what went wrong and how can we fix it?

If cupcakes sink, make sure you filled the liners only two thirds full, avoided opening the oven while baking for 16–20 minutes, and confirmed doneness with a toothpick that comes out clean before removing the tin.

How can I adapt the steps so younger kids or older kids can help safely?

Preschoolers can help put cupcake liners in the tin, wash and pat dry strawberries, and place the strawberry cones on frosted cupcakes while older kids can measure and mix ingredients in the mixing bowl, spoon batter into liners, and pipe buttercream with adult supervision for using the oven.

How can we extend or decorate the Santa-hat cupcakes beyond the basic instructions?

To personalize them, add mini chocolate-chip eyes and a sprinkle of edible glitter on the buttercream, tint the frosting with food coloring, or create different-sized strawberry cones before sharing photos on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to Bake Santa-Hat Cupcakes

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

SANTA HAT CUPCAKES

3 Videos

Facts about baking and kitchen safety for kids

🧁 Classic buttercream frosting is mainly butter and powdered sugar; a little milk or cream makes it smooth and pipeable.

🍓 Each tiny 'seed' on a strawberry is actually a separate fruit (an achene); the red bit we eat is the swollen part that holds them.

🔥 Most standard cupcakes bake quickly — typically about 15–20 minutes at 175°C (350°F), so keep an eye on them.

🎂 The word "cupcake" first appeared in an American cookbook in 1796 — that's where the name comes from!

🎅 You can create a Santa-hat cupcake using just a halved strawberry placed on a white frosting peak—super simple and festive!

How do I bake and decorate Santa-hat cupcakes with my child?

Start by choosing a recipe or box mix, then preheat the oven and prepare a muffin tin with liners. Let your child help measure and mix batter, while an adult handles the oven and hot pans. After baking and cooling, pipe a ring of white frosting on each cupcake, place a fresh strawberry upside-down for the hat, and add a frosting dot on the tip. Teach safe oven habits and supervise knife use when hull strawberries.

What materials and ingredients do I need for Santa-hat cupcakes?

You’ll need cupcake batter (from scratch: flour, sugar, eggs, butter/oil, baking powder, milk, vanilla—or a boxed mix), strawberries, and white frosting (buttercream or cream cheese). Tools: mixing bowls, whisk and spatula, measuring cups, muffin tin and liners, oven, cooling rack, piping bag or zip-top bag, small knife for hulls (adult use), and a spoon. Optional: red food coloring, sprinkles, and a toothpick for details.

What ages is this Santa-hat cupcake activity suitable for?

Suitable for a wide range: toddlers (2–4) can help with simple tasks like placing liners, washing strawberries, and adding sprinkles with close supervision. Ages 5–8 can measure, stir, and decorate with guidance. Ages 9+ can take on more independence but should still have adult help with the oven and knife work. Always supervise hot surfaces and cutting, and modify tasks to each child’s skill level.

What are the benefits, safety tips, and fun variations for Santa-hat cupcakes?

Benefits include practicing measuring, fine motor skills from piping and placing strawberries, following steps, and holiday bonding. Safety tips: adult-only for oven use and sharp knives, wash hands, check food allergies, and cut strawberries small for young children to prevent choking. Variations: use mini cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, raspberries or red candy instead of strawberries, or pipe red frosting hats for a no-fruit option.
DIY Yeti Character
Join Frame
Flying Text Box

One subscription, many ways to play and learn.

Try for free

Only $6.99 after trial. No credit card required

To create a safe space for kid creators worldwide!

Discovery Tools

DIY Wiki

DIY TV

Creativity Tools

How to draw

Teacher Tools

SafeTube

DIY Blog

2025, URSOR LIMITED. All rights reserved. DIY is in no way affiliated with Minecraft™, Mojang, Microsoft, Roblox™ or YouTube. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group which does not sponsor, endorse or authorize this website or event. Made with love in San Francisco.