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12 best festive cupcake essentials

We’ve got everything you need to make the perfect Christmas cupcake

Georgia Green
Monday 17 December 2018 12:39 GMT
Embrace your sweet tooth this Christmas with these baking essentials
Embrace your sweet tooth this Christmas with these baking essentials

Cupcakes are universally loved and for good reason. They’re the perfect size, come in pretty much any flavour and offer infinite opportunities for decoration. Cupcakes also make a great stocking filler (providing they’re packaged appropriately), making this time of year a great excuse to get into the kitchen. Whether you’re baking cinnamon, pumpkin or apple spiced flavoured cupcakes, decoration is key, which is why we’ve got all your essentials for the festive season covered.

Gingerbread House Fancy Sprinkles: £7.41, Etsy

There’s sprinkles, and then there’s Fancy Sprinkles. When a sprinkle mix incorporates tiny gingerbread men, you don’t need to look any further. A wonderful medley of festive colours makes these a must-have this Christmas season.

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Holly Berry Cupcake Cases: £4.49, Lakeland

Decorating isn’t always the easiest of tasks, even though it’s often the most fun. Have no fear - these holly berry cases can be the decoration. They’re a great size, fancy looking and won’t fade whilst baking in the oven. Top your cupcakes off with a simple white icing and they’ll look as festive as ever.

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Jamie Oliver Non-Stick Muffin Tin: £14.93, Amazon

If you’re going to be baking cupcakes, then a muffin tin is a good place to start. The non-stick feature on this tin not only cleans beautifully, but guarantees an even bake.

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Christmas Unicorn And Friends Decorations: £2.54, Cake Craft World

Move over Santa, we’ve got new Christmas friends in town. You’d never usually associate llamas and unicorns with Christmas, but when they look this cute in a Santa hat, they’re difficult to resist. Whilst we’re finding new festive friends, you might as well use the cactus topper, too. It’s sunny somewhere in the world at Christmas time, right?

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Dr. Oetker Glamour and Sparkle Ultimate Sprinkles: £2.30, Hobbycraft

A beautiful combination of silver and gold, these sprinkles are guaranteed to add a Christmassy touch to your cupcakes. And, there ain’t no party like a sprinkle party (ahem).

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Vegan Superfood Chocolate Sprinkles: £12, Not On The High Street

If you’re into sugar-free or vegan baking, then these sprinkles are just for you. These all natural chocolate sprinkles include ingredients such as matcha and spirulina – perfect for those on a plant-based diet. The leaf shapes and natural colours reflect the holiday season perfectly and are a great way to decorate your bakes.

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Wilton Leaf Tip: £1.50, Hobbycraft

Forget flowers: this season is all about foliage which is why Wilton’s leaf tip is a cupcake essential. It takes a little practise to get used to, but once you get going, you can create anything from Christmas trees, holly wreaths or even poinsettias on top of your cupcakes.

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Edible Gold Glitter Pump: £5.49, Lakeland

Christmas means glitter – and lots of it. Not only does this edible glitter make your cupcakes sparkle, but the efficient pump makes it super easy to apply. A touch of sparkle really does make everything better.

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Meri Meri Christmas Cupcake Kit: £9, Ocado

If you want to go all out with your Christmas cupcakes, then this Christmas cupcake kit is the place to begin. Elegant cupcake cases, 3D Christmas trees and a reindeer with golden antlers take cupcake decorating to a whole new level. From an environmental perspective, the toppers are made of paper and can be reused multiple times, mean this purchase scores valuable sustainability points.

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Gold Presentation Box: £1.29, Lakeland

If you’re giving away your cupcakes as a gift, you’ll need to give some thought to presentation and transportation. This presentation box by Lakeland is a classy and clean way of wrapping them. Pop the cupcakes in the inserts to make sure they don’t topple over, tie the box up with a red ribbon and voila! Just remember to keep the box upright.

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Snowflake Cupcake Cases: £2.25, Cake Craft World

It’s easy to go overboard when selecting Christmas cupcake cases. These snowflake cases are subtle and suit any wintery occasion, however. The foil lining ensures an even bake and keeps the design fairly prominent, too.

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Kitchen Craft Spiral Cupcake Tree: £13.99, Amazon

Anyone having a Christmas get together would want their beautiful bakes on show, right? Displaying them on a fun stand such as this spiral cupcake tree ensures that your cupcakes are the stars of the show.

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The verdict: Festive cupcake essentials

When it comes to Christmas cupcakes, using cases such as Lakeland’s Holly Berry cases guarantees a festive looking creation. Ready-to-use toppers such as the Meri Meri Cupcake Kit and the Christmas Unicorns and Friends decorations make decorating so much easier and will always result in beautiful looking cupcakes. However, if you want to add an extra special touch to your festive baking, then the Fancy Sprinkles Gingerbread House Mix is the way to go.

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