Making Christmas elf cupcakes will be a fun way to celebrate the Christmas season, even the young will want to help. The children will have fun decorating the cupcakes, while putting on the frosting, and creating the elf faces for the Christmas elf theme decorations.http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cupcakes-for-Kids/Detail.aspx

To decorate the cupcakes after they have been frosted, they can be held by their bottoms and can be rolled in bowls, or keep the cupcake on the racks set on baking pans and sprinkle coarsely grated coconut, chopped nuts, sugar sprinkles dyed a variety of different colors, confetti candy of different colors, and more. Candies such as M&M’s, licorice, gumdrops, and small pieces of candy, can be used for small parts of the face or objects such as trees or hats. Mini chocolate bars, cookies, and larger pieces of candy may be used to decorate the Christmas elf cupcakes.http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cupcakes-for-Kids/Detail.aspx

If cupcakes are being served at a party, they can bake a week ahead of schedule and frozen them until you're ready to decorate. By the time you're finished, they'll be defrosted and ready to be served. Serve them on a tiered cake rack or on a special cupcake stand or platter. Silicon cupcake liners are a good option to bake the cupcakes in . They let you bake the cupcakes in different shapes such as squares, hearts and butterflies. Silicon liners do have a nonstick surface, but some cooking spray will help the cakes to come out more easily.http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cupcakes-for-Kids/Detail.aspx

1. Christmas elf cupcakes 1: White frosting for the cupcake, green sugar crystals for the elf’s hat; 2 green sugar coated gumdrops for the eyes, a red candy for the nose you can use Runts, mini marshmallows for the rim and the pompom on top of the green elf hat, red icing writing gel in a tube for the mouth.http://www.easycupcakes.com/christmas-elf-cupcakes/
2. Christmas elf cupcakes 2: White fondant icing (a pliable icing that can be used to mold shapes) to make the face, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, ears, and hat, food coloring for the white fondant icing: red for the elf hat and the tongue, green for any type of pattern made around the rim of the elf hat, black for the eyes and mouth, copper for the ears and the skin color of the face (or the base of the cupcake), pink for the cheeks, and white for the pompom at the end of the hat, and to make little dots to place on the green rim of the hat.http://www.wilton.com/idea/Elated-Elf-Cupcakes

1. Marzipan: Is a pliable and edible mixture that is made from almond paste, It has to contain at least 25% or more of almonds to be marzipan. It is made of confectioner's sugar, corn syrup and flavorings such as vanilla or almond extract. The ingredients are then kneaded together and cut into a number of sections for your cupcakes. The food coloring is added to the sectioned off marzipan pieces.http://www.baking911.com/decorating/cakes_marzipan.htm
2. Fondant: Similar to marzipan, there are many different types of fondant, and it can be made in different forms: no cook, rolled, poured, sculpting, European fondant, pastillage, fondant for candy making, and marshmallow.http://www.baking911.com/decorating/cakes_fondant.htm
3. Royal icing: Royal icing is a mixture of confectioner's sugar, varying amounts of water depending on the texture needed, and egg whites or a meringue powder. If you do not want to use raw eggs, a raw egg white substitute can be used instead such as powdered egg white powder or meringue. 1 teaspoon of glycerin can be added to soften the royal icing. Flavor can be added to royal icing such as vanilla and almond extract. Food coloring can be added or used in it's natural white color before using.http://www.baking911.com/decorating/cakes_royalicing.htm
4. Frosting: This icing is sugar based mixture, and used to fill and coat cupcakes, cakes, pastries, cookies and other baked goods. Frosting is made of sugar, butter, milk, water, eggs and various flavorings such as different extracts.http://www.baking911.com/decorating/cakes_frost.htm

• Vanilla cupcakes are plain enough that any flavoring can be added.

• Cupcake pans
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowls
• 1 3/4 cups cake flourhttp://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, cut into 1 inch cubeshttp://www.wilton.com/recipe/Vanilla-Cupcakes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional)http://www.joyofbaking.com/VanillaCupcakes.html
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 325 F. Grease and line cupcake pans with paper or silicon liner cups. Use a green liner for your Christmas elf cupcakes.
2. Add cake and all purpose flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
3. Add the butter or margarine and mix.
4. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest if adding to a separate mixing bowl. Mix well.
5. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture in 3 additions. Beat with the mixer on medium until just mixed. Do not over mix.
6. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake pan until each cup is about 2/3 full, and place in the oven.
7. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a cooling rack.
9. Make the back to school cupcakes when the cupcakes have cooled completely.