Go Back Email Link
image of pull apart cupcake wreath
Print Recipe
4.75 from 16 ratings

Pull-Apart Wreath Cupcakes

Learn how to make this festive and easy pull-apart wreath cupcakes! It's made with red velvet cupcakes, and decorated with green cream cheese buttercream!!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time58 minutes
Course: Cakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 466kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 56 grams
  • 1/4 cup melted butter 57 grams
  • 1 egg 56 grams
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 114 grams
  • 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar 5 grams
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 3 grams
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 4 grams
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3 grams
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda 3 grams
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 163 grams
  • 1 squirt of red gel food coloring or 1 1/2 tsp liquid food coloring

Green Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 169 grams - 1 1/2 sticks
  • 1/4 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature 56 grams or 2 oz.
  • 3 cups powdered sugar 375 grams
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3 grams
  • 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature or whipping cream (15 grams)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4 grams
  • green gel food coloring

Additional Tools

  • piping bag
  • wilton 1M frosting tip
  • french piping tip
  • fun sprinkles / candy
  • red fondant to make the bow on top

Instructions

Red Velvet Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
  • Line a standard sized muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and vegetable oil.
  • Mix in the egg, buttermilk, white vinegar and vanilla extract.
  • Add granulated sugar, and whisk for 30 seconds to help the dissolve the sugar.
  • Mix in the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, and whisk until no clumps remain.
  • Mix the flour into the batter in two installments.
  • Add red gel food coloring, and mix until the batter is evenly colored a deep shade of red. If desired, divide the batter between two bowls, and color one half red, the other half green.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake tins, and bake for about 18-20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs).
  • Remove the cupcake pan from the oven, and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan, and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

  • Beat the butter and cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  • Slowly mix in the powdered sugar on a very low speed, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream. 
  • If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 tablespoon at a time).
  • If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
  • Use green gel food coloring to color a half cup of frosting a light green shade, 1/2 cup a medium green shade, and color the remaining frosting a deep shade of green.
  • Place the dark green frosting in a large piping bag fitted with a wilton 1M (or open star) frosting tip. Place the other colors of frosting into a piping bag fitted with smaller french star frosting tips.

Red Velvet Cupcake Decoration:

  • Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, line them up in a ring around a large cake board, cake stand, or platter.
  • Use the dark green frosting to pipe swirls on top of the cupcake ring.
  • Add additional small swirls on top of this with the lighter shades of green frosting.
  • Decorate with colorful sprinkles and your favorite candies.
  • If desired, add a fondant bow to the top of the wreath.

Video

Notes

Be sure to add a dab of buttercream underneath each cupcake to keep it in place, and prevent them from sliding once they're decorated.
Leave the liners on the cupcakes, to help keep them moist and prevent them from drying out as they sit.
These cupcake can be made in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for:
  • 2 days at room temp
  • Up to a week in the fridge
  • Up to 3 months in the freezer
If you have extra buttercream you don't use, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 331mg | Sugar: 52g