Making Christmas Center Piece Cakes

Step1

Decide how large a centerpiece you want. Do you want 1 center tree or more? 1 cake mix will make 4 to 6 trees, and 1 cake mix will make 60 to 75 mini cupcakes. If only using 1 or 2 trees, I suggest using 1 cake mix. Make the number of tree cakes you need. Now use the rest of the batter to make your mini cupcakes using the baking cups to line your pan with. This helps with clean up later and it's easier to get the cupcakes out of the pan. Cool all completely on a wire rack.

Step2

Prepare your tray or cake plate by covering with a thin layer of white icing for snow, doilies, or some wrapping paper or foil. Ice the tops of all your mini cupcakes white.

Step3

Tint enough icing green to ice your trees. Position the tree cakes on your display platter. Ice trees with green icing using leaf tip. It's best to start at the bottom and work up. This will give you the layered look. Tint the rest of your icing yellow, red, blue, and any other colors you would like.

Step4

Using the writing tip, pipe small dots on trees in different colors for ornaments. I pipe a larger dot on top in yellow for a star. Pipe bows on top of each cupcake. You can use any colors for the bows that you like. Arrange cupcakes around trees as mini presents.

Step5

Optional: Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or shimmering dust to make glisten. Or sprinkle with snowflake candy sprinkles.