Candy cane cupcakes
Christmas is closing in and I am so, so, SO far behind! Christmas cookies? I had to ask Ray to make a couple of different doughs for me the other day. Shipping said Christmas cookies? I’ll be in line tomorrow morning at the post office. Where did the time go?
For my second holiday flavor of December, I went simple, which was a smart choice among the chaos. I originally wanted to do a cupcake in honor of Hanukkah, but couldn’t find any specific flavors of the season (unlike for Passover). Because I didn’t want to make something “Hanukkah-themed” in decoration alone (not my style), I shelved the idea and went with the candy of the season: candy canes.
The cupcake has hints of vanilla and peppermint, but the star of the show is the peppermint frosting. If you love peppermint, this is the frosting for you. And to make it even more festive, I striped my piping bag with red food color to get the full candy cane effect.
Now, because I like a good challenge, I decided I needed to do something creative for the garnish. At first I was just going to stick a candy cane in the frosting (not very creative, but I’ve been busy!), but when Ray could only find standard sized candy canes, I knew I’d have to think about it.
I googled “How to melt candy canes” and came across Craftychica‘s blog and video. While I wasn’t interested in making hearts, I though candy cane discs would make an interesting topper. And I love how some are like stained glass, whereas others are more opaque. This is definitely a technique I’ll keep.
Check out for some handy tips about melting candy canes. Craftychica uses small candy canes, and bakes at a slightly cooler temp for a shorter amount of time, so follow her instructions if you use small ones. If you use standard-sized candy canes, then follow my directions in the recipe. Above all else, have fun with it!!!
Ingredients
Directions
If you're going to make the candy cane discs, begin working on those first. You will use approximately 6-8 standard sized candy canes, depending on how many successful discs you make. And if you break some? Don't worry about it! You can re-melt them.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Break 3-4 candy canes into 1-2 inch pieces and arrange on a baking sheet lined with either parchment or baking silicone. Bake for 5-6 minutes, until the candy is melted and slightly bubbly. Remove from the oven.
Cool on a rack for 1 minute, then use a 1-inch round cutter, with its edge slightly greased, to cut into the candy. When I made these, I pressed the cutter down and gave it a twist, then moved on to make my next shape. Stamp out as many as you can.
Let it cool for an additional 2-3 minutes, then begin gently snapping away the excess candy.
Set aside the discs you'll use as a garnish and repeat the process until you have enough discs.
For the cupcakes, heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position the racks toward the center. Line cupcake pans with papers.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
Cream the butter until light and fluffy, then add the sugar and mix an additional minute or two until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine.
Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts and beat until combined. Alternate the flour mixture and buttermilk and beat until combined.
Divide the batter between the wrappers in cupcake tins and bake for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.
For the frosting, whip the butter first until fluffy. Add 1 cup of sugar and whip to combine.
Add the peppermint extract and continue adding the sugar 1 cup at a time. Add the cream as needed to smooth out the texture of the frosting (you don't want it grainy).
To assemble, fit your piping bag with an extra large round tip. Using red food color (gel, not liquid) and a toothpick, stripe the bag in 4 spots.
Fill with frosting and pipe into swirls on top of the cupcakes (note, the first bit of frosting may not carry the color, so do a couple practice swirls on wax paper if you want).
Top with the candy cane disc, or any other garnish. Enjoy!
Categories: cupcake friday, cupcakes, recipe
I cannot wait to try these for a party on Christmas Eve! I was asked to bring cupcakes – apparently CFP has made me the “go to” person for them!!!
by sabrina on Dec 14, 2012 at 9:50 am
Love the way the icing looks… I love peppermint.
by Bethany Kocher on Dec 14, 2012 at 11:20 am
Good-tasting cupcake! It had a nice, clear peppermint flavor without being overwhelming. Went really well with my butterscotch coffee.
I also think the sugar glass is awesome. The candy cane disks were a great touch. And I’ve seen food shows where they do amazing things with the same techniques.
by Thorin on Dec 14, 2012 at 12:59 pm
These were awesome and serious crowd-pleasers at the dinner I took them to—and they were so pretty! I would loooove to try the peppermint icing with a dark chocolate cake.
by Michelle on Dec 17, 2012 at 10:38 am