Bake the Cupcakes

A. Mix the Batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with festive liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and extracts until smooth. Stir in sour cream.
• In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Pro Tip: Tint the milk electric green before adding it to the batter for vibrant color without overmixing!

B. Bake to Perfection

• Fill liners ⅔ full. Bake 14–16 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let cool completely. (Patience, friends—warm cupcakes melt frosting!)

 Whip the Peppermint Buttercream

• Beat cold butter until fluffy (~5 mins). Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
• Split frosting into four parts:

  Green: 90% of the batch (tint with electric green + a dab of yellow).

  Red, Black, White: Small portions for details.

Decorate Like a Pro

A. Pipe the “Grinch Hair”

• Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 233 grass tip. Starting at the base, pipe upward strokes to create wild, grassy hair.

B. Add the Santa Hat

• Use a round tip (Wilton 1A) to pipe a red swirl on top. Add a white pompom and trim with white frosting.

C. Final Touches

• Press halved yellow M&Ms for eyes. Pipe black pupils and eyebrows. Voilà—your Grinch is ready to steal Christmas (hearts)!