Since the holidays involve lots of food and yummy treats, I occasionally like to make a lighter version of our favorite holiday desserts. Thanks to SPLENDA® Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend, I was able to create this adorable Santa Hat Dessert, which is the perfect small bite to share with friends.
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⭐Why This Recipe Works
- Since a lot of the prep for this dessert can be done ahead of time, it helps take the stress out of holiday entertaining.
- This is a lightened-up version of one of my favorite vanilla cupcake recipes. To lighten up this holiday dessert, I used SPLENDA® Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend instead of sugar.
- The cupcakes tasted just as good as ever and no one had any idea that they had less added sugar.
🥣Ingredient Notes
- SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Blend - has 50% fewer calories than sugar and it works well for baking. It is made only with cane sugar and stevia leaf extract.
- Butter - Use the best quality you can afford. I love Kerry Gold Butter.
- Vanilla extract - Helps to make the best-tasting cupcakes.
- Strawberries - Used to make the Santa cap.
- Sugar-free whipped cream - If you are not watching your sugar, you can use normal whipped cream.
📋Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a mini cupcake pan.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, cream butter and SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Blend.
Add in the eggs one and at time and beat well in between. Stir in vanilla. You can use a stand mixer or an electric mixer.
STEP 3: In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add this mixture to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly.
STEP 4: Stir in the milk and continue stirring until incorporated.
STEP 5: Scoop batter into the mini muffin pan, filling about ⅔ full.
STEP 6: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
STEP 7: Spray a bit of whipped cream on the cupcake and top with a strawberry, cut side down.
STEP 8: Add a tiny dollop of whipped cream to the top of each strawberry. Serve immediately.
My guests are always impressed with this little Santa hat dessert, and they are perfect for serving at a dessert buffet when people will be trying small bites of lots of different items.
👩🏻🍳Expert Tips
Tip 1: To make these santa hat cupcakes, you will need a baking pan used to make mini muffins. The mini cupcakes will form the base of the dessert.
Tip 2: You can bake up the mini cupcakes ahead of time (even a day in advance). The strawberries can be washed and cut beforehand also, and stored until ready to use.
🤷🏻♀️Recipe FAQs
You can store the mini cupcakes and cut strawberries in the refrigerator for a day or two. Once these are assembled, they will not store well because of the whipped cream.
You can use 1 cup of sugar in place of the Splenda.
You can usually find this in your local grocery store next to the regular whipped cream. Reddi-Wip makes a good one.
🧁Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Santa Hat Dessert
Ingredients
- ½ cup SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Blend
- ½ cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cup milk
- Strawberries with the leafy top cut off one for each cupcake
- Sugar free whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a mini cupcake pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Blend.
- Add in the eggs one and at time and beat well in between.
- Stir in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add this mixture to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Stir in the milk and continue stirring until incorporated.
- Scoop batter into the cupcake pan, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Spray a bit of whipped cream on the cupcake and top with a strawberry, cut side down.
- Add a small squirt of whipped cream to the top of the strawberry.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- To make this Santa hat dessert, you will need a mini cupcake pan. The mini cupcakes will form the base of the dessert.
- You can bake up the mini cupcakes ahead of time (even a day in advance). The strawberries can be washed and cut beforehand also, and stored until ready to use.
- This nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using online calculators. Your nutritional information may vary depending on numerous factors.
Nutrition
Lisa
These are super cute! I can't wait to make them with my kids!We love to bake together.
Kimberly Lewis
The little Santa hats are so stinkin cute! They would be perfect for any holiday party!
Emily
These look like easy and cute little desserts! I haven't used Splenda before...
Diane
Those hats are so cute. I swap out sugar with Splenda, honestly you can’t tell any difference. Except in the calories.
Claudia Blanton
this is so cute! Strawberry anything is a winner in my book, and I love how with a little creativity, this actually looks holiday-festive. Awesome!
Annie @ Annie's Noms
These are SO cute!! I love that they use sweetener too. I'm really trying to be good and reduce my sugar, but it's so hard! I don't want to give up desserts, but this means I can still have my cake and eat it!
Andrea
TOOOO cute for words. This is such fun dessert to do for the holidays and with the kids would be even better. Love it.
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com
This is such a cute idea! My kids will LOVE making these sweet treats with me for Christmas!!
Erika
These are so stinkin' cute! They're perfect for the Christmas party I'm debating about having. These might have just put me over the edge. Thanks for sharing!
Amanda Rosson
Wow what an adorable and easy to make dessert!! This is too perfect for Christmas!!
Terri Steffes
These are so festive and would be a wonderful addition to a holiday table.Thanks for sharing!