This holiday season, wow your guests with a festive and unique cupcake cake that looks like a reindeer! This Reindeer Cupcake Cake or pull-apart cake is actually quite simple to make, and only requires a few basic ingredients.
This pull apart cupcake cake is made to look like a sheet cake on top but is made with individual sized cupcakes, decorated and arranged in the shape of everyone's favorite reindeer...Rudolph!
Your guests will be amazed at your creativity - and deliciousness!
Check out all the other reindeer dessert ideas for even more fun ways to celebrate the holidays this year!
This Reindeer Cupcake Cake is easy to make and easy to serve. Everyone simply pulls the cake apart as they reach for their own cupcake. You don't have to slice a cake!
For this easy dessert recipe, I purchased mini cupcakes at Walmart that already had frosting. I simply scraped some of the pink and green frosting off and piped the canned frosting on top!
If you want to bake your own cupcakes, that's great too. However, I wanted to show you the easiest way to put together a cupcake pull apart cake by using grocery-store items.
Check out my Reindeer Cake Ideas for more fun ways to create a special cake for Santa! And if you're looking for a pull-apart cupcake idea for the summer, make sure you check out my Patriotic Cupcake Cake recipe!
Table of Contents
Printable step-by-step cupcake recipes
For this cupcake cake recipe, I have a printable diagram that shows you how to arrange the cupcakes to create the perfect reindeer. Fill out the form below and you'll be able to download and print one for free.
💭What is a cupcake cake?
A pull-apart cupcake cake is an arrangement of cupcakes made to look like one large cake.
There is no need to slice the cake. Your guests simply reach for a cupcake and "pull it apart" from the cake. It's a fun way to bake and serve a cake. Kids and adults love them!
💭How to make cupcake cake?
- Start by baking two dozen cupcakes, using your favorite recipe or box mix.
- Once they are cooled, use a serrated knife to trim the tops off of the cupcakes, creating a flat surface.
- Next, arrange the cupcakes in the shape of a reindeer.
- Once you are happy with the placement of the cupcakes, frost them with brown or chocolate icing.
- Finally, decorate the reindeer with candy eyes and a red nose, and you're done!
Looking for MORE holiday treats? Try my 15 Santa Reindeer Treats,
Reindeer Pretzels or my Reindeer Cookies.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
To put this reindeer cupcake cake together, you do need a few accessories:
- Cake Board or large cutting board
- Parchment paper
- Disposable frosting bag with tips. I used a 2D tip. You could also use a 1M tip.
- Cake Box - if you have to transport your cake to another location, using a cake box is great to help the cake not get damaged.
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Main Ingredients Needed
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 | Make the Reindeer Shape
- Print out the template above that you'll be able to download once you sign up for my newsletter.
- Arrange the cupcakes in the shape on the template.
- Remember, these mini cupcakes I purchased already had frosting. I scraped some of the existing frosting off and then piped chocolate frosting on top.
Step 2 | How to Fill a Piping Bag
- Add the tip to the piping bag.
- Push it all the way down, but don't cut the plastic off around the end of the bag yet.
- Now add the bag with tip to a tall glass.
- Fold the top of the bag up and over the glass.
- Spoon the frosting into the bag. Do not fill the bag more than ⅔ full.
- Remove the bag from the glass and pull the ends of the bag together while pushing the frosting all the way down into the tip.
- Twist the bag.
- Now cut the tip of the bag off to allow the frosting to push through.
Baking Tip: If you decide to bake cupcakes for this recipe, they need to be completely cooled before adding the frosting.
Step 3| Pipe the Frosting
- Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a swirled pattern.
- Connect each cupcake with the one next to it with frosting.
- If you notice gaps in between the cupcakes, simply pipe over them with frosting.
Step 4 | Decorate the Cake
- Next, spread some of the red frosting on to the very bottom cupcake. For this step, I used a knife to get the frosting smooth. I wanted it to resemble the glass look of a light bulb.
- Add the eyes. You can see I used craft eyes because that's all I had available when I made this cake.
Before You Begin!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review and star rating. This helps my business thrive and continue providing FREE recipes.
💭Recipe Variations
- Go Bigger - use full-sized cupcakes! Just be aware that the reindeer cupcake cake will much larger than the one I have created.
- Homemade Cupcakes - make your favorite cupcake recipe instead of using store-bought cupcakes as I did with this recipe.
- Muffins - you can also make this recipe using your favorite muffin recipe.
- Santa Cupcake Cake - make a Santa face shape instead of a reindeer.
- You could also put together cute Bridal Shower Cupcakes to celebrate a different occasion.
💭Storage Tips
- Store the cake as you would other baked goods with frosting in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, however, I think it tastes best served the day you prepare the cake.
💭Freezing Tips
Cupcakes are perfect for any occasion, and they're easy to make ahead of time. However, if you're short on time or space in your refrigerator, you may want to freeze them:
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place the cupcakes on the sheet.
- Make sure that they're not touching each other so that they don't stick together.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let the cupcakes freeze for at least two hours.
- Once they're frozen solid, transfer the cupcakes to a freezer-safe container or bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the container or bag.
- When you're ready to eat them, thaw the cupcakes at room temperature for about an hour.
💭Top Recipe Tip
- Make sure the cupcakes are the same size in height.
- Measure out the exact amount when filling the cupcake pan with cake batter.
- If you notice some are different heights, use a serrated knife to make them all the same height.
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Reindeer Cupcake Cake
Ingredients
- 29 mini cupcakes; store-bought
- 3 cups frosting
- 1 tablespoon red frosting
- 2 candy eyes
Instructions
- Arrange the cupcakes in the shape on the template.
- Fill the piping bag with the chocolate frosting.
- Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a swirled pattern.
- Connect each cupcake with the one next to it with frosting.
- If you notice gaps in between cupcakes, simply pipe over them with frosting.
- Spread red frosting on the bottom cupcake for the nose.
- Add the candy eyes.
- Refrigerate untiul ready to serve.
Notes
- If you are using homemade cupcakes, you need to make sure the cupcakes are the same size in height.
- Measure out the exact amount when filling the cupcake pan with cake batter.
- If you notice some are different heights, use a serrated knife to make them all even.
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