Peppermint Cupcakes
Peppermint cupcakes frosted with a peppermint buttercream
Equipment
- mixer
- (2) 12-count muffin pans
- 1 large piping bag
- 1 large star tip
- 24 standard-sized cupcake liners (or 12 standard-sized baking cups)
- freezer resealable bag (for crushing peppermint hard candy by hand) (alternatively use a food chopped)
- a mallet or rolling pin to chop the peppermint candy if crushing by hand
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ⅔ cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- (1) 15-16-ounce box white cake mix
Buttercream Frosting
- 3 tablespoons very finely crushed peppermint hard candy (or crush your own peppermint candy)
- 3 sticks salted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 5 cups powdered (icing) sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans. (If using baking cups, place them on a rimmed baking sheet.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, peppermint extract, eggs, and vegetable oil until smooth. Then sift in the cake mix and stir until just mixed. Be careful not to overmix. Do not skip sifting the cake mix to prevent lumps in the batter.
- Using a cookie scoop, divide the batter between the cupcake liners or baking cups.
- Bake time for cupcake liners in a muffin pan: 17 minutes or until lightly browned, and they spring back when touched in the middle. If using baking cups, bake 20-25 minutes or until cupcakes are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with crumbs. Do not overbake. After 5 minutes, move the cupcakes to a cooling rack. Cool before frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
- If crushing peppermint hard candy: place the candy in a plastic resealable bag, then use a rolling pin or meat mallet to finely crush it. Larger pieces will have trouble passing through the piping tip. Set aside.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract until creamy.
- Add the cream to the butter and beat until mixed. Then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, stirring first, and then beat between each addition. If the frosting is too stiff, add more cream. If too soft, add more sugar. Then add the finely crushed peppermint and mix well.
- Use a piping bag and a large star tip to pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Make a circle of frosting around the outside of the cupcake top, then continue circling, moving in closer to the middle with each circle. This will make the frosting taller in the middle of the cupcake.
- Sprinkle crushed peppermint over each cupcake.
Notes
Source for Baking Cups
Click here for standalone baking cups from My Mind's Eye.Peppermint Candy
You can use crushed candy canes or other hard peppermint candy in this recipe.Substitution
You can substitute food-grade peppermint oil for peppermint extract. Use 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint oil for 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.Piping Tip Source
Click here to link to a source for a large star piping tip.Nutrition
Calories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 2gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 442IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!