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1
Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the cups of 2 to 4 mini muffin tins with paper liners (you can bake the cupcakes in batches if necessary).
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2
Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
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3
Add the eggs and milk and mix until well combined.
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4
Drizzle in the oil and the vanilla and almond extracts and mix.
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5
With the mixer running at low speed, add the boiling water and mix just until smooth.
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6
Fill the lined muffin cups about 2/3 full.
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Bake until risen and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
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8
Let cool in the pans.
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9
Frosting: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth.
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Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until smooth.
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11
Add more milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick and spreadable.
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12
Using a flexible spatula, frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes.
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13
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before assembling the tree.
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14
To assemble the tree, spread a thick layer of sprinkles out on a plate.
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15
Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the sprinkles and set aside.
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16
Tie curling ribbon around the candy canes and curl with a scissor blade.
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17
One inch up from the bottom of the styrofoam cone, stick toothpicks into the cone 1 1/2 inches apart, making a circle around the cone and leaving them sticking out at least 1 inch.
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18
Place the cone on a serving platter.
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19
Make the bottom ring of cupcakes by spearing the bottom of a cupcake onto one of the toothpicks in the cone, with the frosting facing out and with the side of the cupcake resting on the plate.
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20
One inch above the tops of the first row of cupcakes, place another row of toothpicks 1 1/2 inches apart, all around the cone, positioning them so that the second row will rest between the tops of the first row.
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You will fit fewer cupcakes on the second row; feel free to cut a cupcake in half if necessary to fit into the space available.
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22
Spear the cupcakes onto the toothpicks as before.
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23
Continue up the cone to form a tree of cupcakes, ending with a single cupcake on top.
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24
Serve within one hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
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25
Stick the candy canes in the styrofoam and stick gilded cranberries on with a little extra icing.
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26
Pour sugar on the serving platter around the tree.
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27
To gild the cranberries, roll them on the sheets of gold leaf to roughly coat.
