These tiny Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders are a fun, festive bite. Soft, buttery mini cakes meet tangy yogurt, sweet fruit, and light whipped cream. They look like little Santa hats with a bright red berry and a fluffy white top. They smell like warm vanilla and fresh berries. They are perfect for holiday parties, tea time, or a kid-friendly dessert.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Servings: 24 sliders
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Nutrition Information
(Approximate per slider)
- Calories per serving: 85 kcal
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Sugar: 6.5 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
Why Make This Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
These sliders are quick, cute, and crowd-pleasing. The yogurt keeps the mini cakes tender and slightly tangy. The texture is soft and moist, with a light crumb. Topped with fresh red fruit and a dollop of whipped cream, they look festive and taste bright. They are easy to make in a single mini muffin pan and are perfect for a grab-and-go party treat. Kids love decorating them, and adults enjoy the simple, balanced sweetness.
How to Make Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
This recipe uses pantry staples and a mini muffin pan. The steps are fast: mix wet, whisk dry, combine lightly, bake, cool, and assemble. Follow the steps below for best results and consistent mini cakes.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Red fruit (like strawberries or raspberries) for decoration
- Whipped cream for topping
Directions:
Step 1: Preparation
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a mini muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray. If you prefer, line the pan with mini paper liners. Wash and slice the red fruit (strawberries or raspberries) so they are ready for decorating. Set out a cooling rack.
Step 2: Mixing
In a bowl, beat the yogurt, softened butter, sugar, and egg together until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just mixed. Do not overmix; small lumps are fine.
Step 3: Cooking
Spoon the batter into the mini muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Smooth the tops lightly with the back of a spoon. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
Step 4: Finishing
Allow the sliders to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice each mini cake in half horizontally. Layer a small piece of red fruit on the bottom half, add a small dollop of whipped cream, and place the top half back on like a hat. Add another small dot of whipped cream on the top and a tiny piece of fruit to finish the Santa hat look. Serve right away.
How to Serve Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
Serve them chilled or at room temperature. Arrange on a platter with extra berries and mint for color. They work well as finger food for holiday parties, as a dessert for a family meal, or on a kids’ party table. For a brunch twist, pair with coffee, hot chocolate, or a light fruit punch.
How to Store Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
- Short term: Store undecorated cooled mini cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigeration: If decorated with whipped cream and fruit, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 24–36 hours to keep the whipped cream fresh.
- Freezing: Freeze plain mini cakes (undecorated) in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature, then decorate before serving.
Expert Tips for Perfect Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
- Use room-temperature butter and egg so the batter mixes smoothly.
- Do not overmix once you add the flour. Overmixing makes mini cakes dense.
- Fill each cup about 2/3 full for a nice dome that slices easily.
- Test doneness with a toothpick; check several muffins since mini pans can bake unevenly.
- Cool completely before slicing so the whipped cream and fruit don’t slide.
- For firmer topping, use stabilized whipped cream or pipe a small ring of whipped cream and chill briefly before adding the fruit.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin pan, a standard muffin pan will work; bake longer (about 18–22 minutes) and expect fewer, larger sliders.
Delicious Variations
- Chocolate Santa Hats: Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with cocoa powder for a chocolate base.
- Lemon Yogurt Sliders: Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and swap vanilla for lemon extract. Top with a candied raspberry.
- Berry Mix: Use a mix of raspberries and finely chopped strawberries for varied texture and color.
- Nutty Crunch: Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted almonds to the batter or sprinkle on top before baking.
- Festive Cream Cheese: Mix a little cream cheese with the whipped cream for a tangy, richer filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt?
A: Yes. Use plain Greek yogurt for a thicker texture and more tang. If using very thick Greek yogurt, you may need a tablespoon or two of milk to loosen the batter slightly.
Q: How many sliders does this recipe make?
A: Using a standard 24-cup mini muffin pan, this recipe makes about 24 mini cakes (24 sliders). If you use a larger muffin pan, the yield decreases and bake time increases.
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
A: You can bake the mini cakes ahead and store them undecorated for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 2 months frozen. Decorate them just before serving for the best texture.
Q: What is the best way to keep whipped cream from weeping?
A: Use heavy cream chilled and whip until soft peaks. For longer stability, add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch per cup of cream, or use a stabilized whipped cream recipe with gelatin.
Q: My mini cakes are too dense. What went wrong?
A: Likely overmixing after adding flour or too much batter in each cup. Mix until just combined and fill cups 2/3 full. Also check that your baking powder is fresh; old leavening gives poor rise.
Q: Can I replace butter with oil?
A: Yes. Use a neutral oil (like vegetable or canola) at 3 tablespoons in place of 1/4 cup butter. The texture will be slightly different—oil keeps cakes moist but less buttery.
Q: How do I keep the berries from making the bottom soggy?
A: Pat berries dry before assembling. Use small berry pieces and a thin layer of whipped cream between fruit and cake to reduce direct contact. Serve soon after decorating.
Conclusion
These Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders are small, cheerful, and simple to make. They bring bright berry flavor, soft cake texture, and a creamy finish to any holiday spread. Try them for a party or a sweet, festive snack—kids and grown-ups will smile at every bite. For another fun slider idea to serve alongside these at a casual gathering, check out Bacon Ranch Chicken Sliders – BRIGHT MOMENT CO. (https://abrightmoment.com/bacon-ranch-chicken-sliders/)
Print
Santa Hat Yogurt Cake Sliders
- Total Time: 33
- Yield: 24 sliders 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These fun and festive sliders combine soft mini cakes with tangy yogurt, sweet fruit, and whipped cream, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Red fruit (like strawberries or raspberries) for decoration
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a mini muffin pan.
- In a bowl, beat yogurt, butter, sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold into the wet mixture.
- Spoon batter into the mini muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 15–20 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, slice each mini cake in half horizontally, layer with fruit and whipped cream, then top with the other half.
- Add another dot of whipped cream and a piece of fruit to finish the slider.
Notes
For firmer whipped cream, use stabilized whipped cream or pipe it before adding the fruit. Store undecorated cakes at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 18
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 6.5g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
