Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners. This recipe yields about 20-24 cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla extract, milk (or buttermilk), and sour cream until smooth.
- Gradually mix in the devil's food cake mix. Beat on low speed until just combined, then on medium for 2 minutes. Do not overmix.
- Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full. Bake for 16–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter until light and fluffy. Add cocoa powder, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tbsp milk. Mix until fluffy, adjusting consistency with more sugar or milk as needed.
- Frost completely cooled cupcakes with the chocolate buttercream using a spatula or piping bag.
- Attach 1 Nilla Wafer as the muzzle, place a brown or red M&M as the nose, and add two white M&M’s or candy eyes above.
- Pipe small chocolate dots onto white M&M’s for pupils if not using candy eyes. Insert mini pretzel twists as antlers above the eyes.
Nutrition
Notes
For richer cupcakes, use buttermilk and full-fat sour cream. You can replace white M&M's with candy eyes for quicker decorating. To avoid soggy antlers, add pretzels right before serving. Want a homemade touch? Swap the cake mix with your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.