Can you blame Santa for being waist-deep in luscious buttercream-frosted cupcakes? I can't!
Ingredients
12 cupcakes, baked and cooled (I made holiday funfetti)
Vanilla buttercream (canned or homemade)
24 pieces strawberry licorice (I used Darrell Lea, found at Target)
3 squares white chocolate, melted
24 large black jelly beans
Snowflake sprinkles, optional
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
2 sticks butter, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
Almost an entire 32 oz bag powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
Instructions
First, frost your cooled cupcakes with buttercream. I used an Atecco tip #807 (a large open circle) to frost these. Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with the snowflake sprinkles, if desired. Set the frosted cupcakes aside or in the fridge while you make the Santa legs.
(TO MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM: 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter + vanilla until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, until light and fluffy. You’ll need to add in a little stream of milk every now and then to fluff up the frosting.)
On a large foil-lined baking sheet, line up all the licorice legs; set aside. Meanwhile, in a resealable plastic bag, pour in the melted white chocolate. Seal out the air and gently snip a very small corner off the edge of the bag. Pipe white chocolate squiggly "fluffs" along the ankles of Santa's licorice pants.
Using a teensy bit of remaining white chocolate, place a small chocolate dot on the top of a black jelly bean and gently press the jelly bean onto the bottom of Santa's legs; hold for 20 seconds or so to adhere.
Place the completed Santa legs in the freezer to set, about 30 minutes. Once set, gently invert the legs (shoes up) and place them into the frosted cupcakes. These cupcakes are best served the same day, at room temperature.
Recipe by The Domestic Rebel at https://thedomesticrebel.com/?p=3942