Holiday Desserts Guaranteed to Spread Smiles

Cupcakes

1 (16 oz.) package pound cake mix
1 1/4 cups eggnog
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing
1/2 cup softened butter
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz.) package confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup eggnog

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Beat cake mix, eggnog, eggs, nutmeg, and vanilla using an electric mixer on low until batter is blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Spoon batter into paper cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.
4. While the cupcakes are in the oven, beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
5. Gradually incorporate confectioners’ sugar, alternating with small amounts of 1/4 cup eggnog and ending with confectioners’ sugar, into butter mixture using an electric mixer until icing is smooth and fluffy.
6. Beat 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg into icing until incorporated.
7. Spread icing over cooled cupcakes.

Cooking spray
3 1/3 c. cake flour, spooned and leveled
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
3/4 Kosher salt
1 3/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 c. sugar
6 large egg whites
1 c. colored rainbow sprinkles
1 recipe White Vanilla Frosting
2 tbsp. sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
40 drops green food coloring

Candy: Yellow sour candy balls and mini white, red, and yellow M&Ms; caramel popcorn; red gumdrops; red sour candy balls; regular white and red M&Ms; starlight mints; brown M&Ms; and Raisinettes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Stir together milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add egg whites one at a time.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and milk mixture alternately, starting and ending with flour mixture, just until incorporated.
5. Stir in sprinkles. Transfer batter to a 9″-x-13″ baking pan lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Transfer 3/4 cup frosting to a bowl. Add cocoa powder and stir to combine. Dye remaining frosting with green food coloring.
8. Place template on cake and cut pieces with a long serrated knife.
9. Assemble tree pieces on a serving platter, attaching them with a little green frosting, and frost with the remainder of the green icing.
10. Assemble stump, attaching pieces with a little brown frosting, and frost with the rest of the brown icing.
11. Create star with yellow sour candy balls and mini M&Ms, garland with caramel popcorn, and decorate tree with red gumdrops, red sour candy balls, mini white and red M&Ms, regular white and red M&Ms, and starlight mints. Decorate stump with brown M&Ms and Raisinettes.

1 box sugar cookie mix
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for surface
Red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a bowl, mix together sugar cookie mix, melted butter, egg, cream cheese, and flour.
2. Divide dough into equal portions in separate bowls. Add red food coloring gradually to 1 portion until desired shade of red is created.
3. Add peppermint extract to second bowl of dough. On a floured work surface, shape each dough into balls and then roll each ball into 1/4-inch-wide ropes about 6 inches long.
4. For each cookie, twist the red and white ropes of dough together and shape into a candy cane. Chill cookies in refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Spread candy canes out on cookie sheets and bake about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.