Candy Cane Cupcakes

Merry Christmas! Hope you all are having a fabulous holiday. We are celebrating with family, lots of food, and fun. I'm trying my hand at homemade English muffins for breakfast. We're having all the grandparents over for stuffed cabbage and pierogies later in the day. And butterscotch pie for dessert.

I made these cupcakes as a way of using up leftover candy canes. There's no candy in the cupcakes themselves, but I used up a bunch as a garnish. And I took full advantage of the "musicians love free food" rule and had Hubs bring them in one night he worked Candlelight. Everyone in the orchestra played extra well that night!

Candy Cane Cupcakes
adapted from Taste of Home
February/March 2000

note: this recipe makes 36-40 cupcakes. If you don't need that many, half the recipe to make 18-20 cupcakes.

1 c butter, softened
2 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp peppermint extract
2 3/4 c all purpose flour1 c baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c water

Peppermint Buttercream (recipe follows)
Candy canes for decorating


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.

In a mixing bow, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extract.

Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.



Peppermint Buttercream

2 c sugar
8 large egg whites
¼ tsp kosher salt
4 sticks unsalted butter, “room temperature”
1 ½ tsp peppermint extract


Place sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F. Mixture will be frothy.

Remove bowl from heat and attach to the mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. The mixture should be room temperature. Reduce speed to medium and add the butter, 2 Tbs at a time, making sure each addition is well incorporated. If the mixture is soupy, stick the bowl in the fridge, chill for 20-30 minutes, and continue to beat until the mixture comes together. If the mixture looks curdled, just keep beating. Beat in the peppermint extract. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with candy canes