Holiday Holly Chocolate Cupcakes

By cecelia26_

Garnished with green gumdrops and red candy-coated chocolate pieces, these festive chocolate cupcakes make a great addition to the holiday dessert table.

Ingredients

• 1 (2-layer size) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.9-ounce) package JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 (16-ounce) container ready-to-spread vanilla frosting
• 1 cup thawed Cool Whip whipped topping
• 72 red candy-coated chocolate pieces (about 1/2-cup)
• 24 green gumdrop spearmint leaves, cut lengthwise in half

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F.

Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix and milk into batter before spooning into prepared muffin cups. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Mix frosting and Cool Whip until blended; spread onto cupcakes.

Decorate with remaining ingredients to resemble holly leaves and berries.