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    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    23/11/2018 by thebakingexplorer 23 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    These super cute Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes are perfect for Christmas baking, especially if you want to get the kids involved! They will love creating the cute face of Rudolph, and love eating the chocolate cupcake even more! The cupcake and buttercream are an easy chocolate based recipe, and the decorations for the face are made from pretzels for antlers, candy eyes, chocolate buttons for the snout and red fondant circles for the nose. If you can find any suitable red sweets or candies for the nose you can use those instead. I think Santa would love a Reindeer Cupcake left out for him on Christmas Eve!

    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

    • Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • I used baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
    • For the reindeers antlers, you can use either a whole pretzel, chocolate matchmakers, or even melt some chocolate, pipe an antler shape onto some baking paper, let it set, then add it to the cupcake.
    • For the reindeer's eyes I used candy eyes, which are commonly available in most larger supermarkets and online. Instead, you could use some white fondant - roll it into a small ball and flatten it out a little. Then dip a cocktail stick into black food colouring and dot it into the middle of the fondant.
    • For the reindeer's nose I used some red fondant. You could also use a red sweet like a Smartie or Jelly Tot. Or you can get red sprinkles or chocoballs that would work too (Scrumptious Sprinkles do a large red choco ball that would work really well).
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

    How to make Reindeer Cupcakes

    Make the cupcakes by mixing together butter and sugar. Then whisk in eggs and milk. Finally mix in cocoa powder and self raising flour.

    Divide the mixture between cupcake cases and bake them for 20 minutes, then leave to cool.

    To decorate the Reindeer Cupcakes, make a chocolate buttercream and pipe it onto the sponge. Smooth it out using a palette knife, then add pretzels for antlers, candy eyes and a chocolate button and red fondant for the nose.

    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

    The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated with buttercream only (I do not recommend freezing the antler, eye and nose decorations), freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the appearance of the buttercream.

    Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

    Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

    Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

    Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xantham Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cupcakes and the buttercream. You will also need to decorate the cupcakes with dairy free and gluten free ingredients, for example pretzels usually contain gluten and chocolate buttons contain dairy, so look for free from alternatives.

    Are there any alternative ways for creating the reindeer's face?

    Yes! As you can see above, for the snout and nose you can also pipe and extra blob of chocolate buttercream on the cupcake for the snout and press a red sweet or sprinkle into it for the nose. If you can't get hold of candy eyes, you can use some white fondant - roll it into a small ball and flatten it out a little. Then dip a cocktail stick into black food colouring and dot it into the middle of the fondant. Other options for the antlers are chocolate matchmakers, or you can pipe an antler shape onto some baking paper, let it set, then add it to the cupcake.

    More tips for making the Reindeer Cupcakes:

    • I made all of my Reindeer Cupcakes into red nosed Rudolphs, he is the best reindeer after all! But you can also make the other reindeer by using brown fondant or a brown sweet for the nose instead.
    • The pretzels will eventually go soft from being in the buttercream, so if you are making them in advance, wait until you're almost ready to serve before adding the pretzels.
    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    Troubleshooting

    If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients*

    • Cupcake tin
    • Mixing bowls
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Electric hand mixer
    • Piping bags
    • Round piping nozzle
    • Brown cupcake cases
    • Round fondant cutters
    • Red fondant
    • Candy eyes

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    More Christmas cupcake recipes:

    • Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
      Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
    • Mince Pie Cupcakes
      Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream
    • Baileys Chocolate Cupcakes
    • Gingerbread Cupcakes
    • Snowball Cupcakes
      Snowball Cupcakes
    • Lindt Chocolate Cupcakes
    • Mulled Wine Cupcakes
    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    Chocolate Reindeer Cupcakes

    Chocolate cupcakes, chocolate buttercream, cute reindeer face made from pretzels, candy eyes, chocolate buttons and red fondant
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cupcake
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the sponge

    • 175 g Butter or baking spread unsalted
    • 175 g Caster sugar
    • 3 Eggs large
    • 1 tbsp Milk
    • 150 g Self raising flour
    • 25 g Cocoa powder
    • A pinch of Baking powder

    For the buttercream

    • 150 g Butter unsalted, softened
    • 255 g Icing sugar
    • 45 g Cocoa powder
    • 1 ½ tbsp Milk

    For decoration

    • 24 Pretzels
    • 12 Red fondant circles or red sweets
    • 12 Chocolate buttons
    • 24 Candy eyes
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • If you are making the nose from fondant, do this first so they can dry and harden. Roll out your red fondant on a smooth surface dusted with icing sugar, and cut out circles using a 10mm round fondant plunger
    • Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases
    • To make the cupcakes, mix together the butter and caster sugar until smooth, ideally using an electric mixer
    • Add the eggs and milk, and whisk in
    • Add the self raising flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and whisk in gently
    • Divide the mixture between the cupcakes cases, and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Put them on a rack to cool completely
    • To make the buttercream, mix together the butter, cocoa powder and icing sugar with an electric mixer, when it starts to come together, add the milk and mix until smooth. You can add more milk if the buttercream is too stiff
    • Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake using a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle, then smooth out the top with a palette knife. Or spread it on with a spoon
    • Stick the pretzels in the top for the reindeers antlers. (The pretzels will go a little soft from contact with the buttercream after a little while, so if you're making them in advance, wait to put the pretzels in to keep their crunch!)
    • Add the candy eyes, then add the chocolate button and stick the red fondant circle on top of the button using a little buttercream to make it stick
    • Store in an airtight container in a cool place, eat leftovers within 3 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Video

    Notes

    • Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
    • I used baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
    • For the reindeers antlers, you can use either a whole pretzel, chocolate matchmakers, or even melt some chocolate, pipe an antler shape onto some baking paper, let it set, then add it to the cupcake.
    • For the reindeer's eyes I used candy eyes, which are commonly available in most larger supermarkets and online. Instead, you could use some white fondant - roll it into a small ball and flatten it out a little. Then dip a cocktail stick into black food colouring and dot it into the middle of the fondant.
    • For the reindeer's nose I used some red fondant. You could also use a red sweet like a Smartie or Jelly Tot. Or you can get red sprinkles or chocoballs that would work too (Scrumptious Sprinkles do a large red choco ball that would work really well).
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 846IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Cupcake recipes!

    Or you might like my Christmas recipes!

    « Chocolate Orange Fudge
    Mint Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqui Bellefontaine

      November 24, 2018 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      These look so cute I really like them as they don't look too fiddly.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:07 pm

        Thanks Jacqui! They are very easy to make you're right

        Reply
    2. Monika Dabrowski

      November 25, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      These look super cute, love the antlers! thank you for sharing with FF!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:08 pm

        Thanks Monika!

        Reply
    3. Lathiya

      November 25, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      The cupcakes looks super cute..Perfect for the oncoming Christmas..Kids will be super excited

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:09 pm

        Thanks Lathiya! I think kids will love them too!

        Reply
    4. Nickki

      November 26, 2018 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      I love these, they are so cute!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:11 pm

        Thanks Nickki!

        Reply
    5. Anca

      November 26, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      They are so cute! You've had a great idea with the antlers, love it.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:11 pm

        Thanks Anca! I've seen people use full pretzels but I think they look better snapped in half!

        Reply
    6. Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog

      November 27, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      These look amazing. So much fun and nice and easy! I absolutely love the antlers, they work perfectly!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:13 pm

        Thanks Anna! I love an easy but cute effect 😀

        Reply
    7. Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder

      November 27, 2018 at 8:48 pm

      5 stars
      They are too cute to eat and definitely a perfect bake to get kids involved! It's getting really Christmassy now... 🙂

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:13 pm

        Thanks Jo! I'm loving Christmas baking season 😀

        Reply
    8. Rita

      November 28, 2018 at 2:16 am

      5 stars
      Wow - like the Fiesta Friday. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:14 pm

        Thanks Rita!

        Reply
    9. Corina Blum

      November 28, 2018 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      These are so cute! My kids would love them.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:20 pm

        Thanks Corina! They are perfect for baking with the kids 😀

        Reply
    10. Cat | Curly's Cooking

      December 03, 2018 at 2:31 pm

      5 stars
      These are so cute! Plus you can't beat a chocolate cupcake in my opinion!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 04, 2018 at 4:09 pm

        Thank you! I agree, chocolate is the best!

        Reply
    11. Teo Ee Lin

      December 21, 2018 at 1:38 am

      Can i check on the milk for butter cream ? Is it in tablespoon or tsp spoon. Thanks

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 21, 2018 at 9:08 am

        Sorry I've updated that now! I hope you enjoy the cupcakes 🙂

        Reply
    12. Catherine

      December 01, 2020 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      These turned out really well, big hit in the office. Used curly wurlys for the antlers instead 😉

      Reply

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