Add these candy cane cupcakes to your holiday baking list this year and find out why they were an instant hit at my house! A moist cupcake base gets swirled with red and white peppermint cake batter topped with homemade peppermint buttercream frosting. These are the perfect holiday desserts to add to your Christmas menu!
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Peppermint Cupcakes with peppermint frosting
Sometimes you make Christmas desserts for the kids (hello cream cheese sugar cookies) and sometimes you make Christmas desserts for the adults. These peppermint cupcakes are the latter with their delicious peppermint flavor!
They’d also work for kids of course, but I’ve found that peppermint tends to be a flavor more favored by adults than the kids (unless of course it’s the Chick Fil-A peppermint milkshakes…) My boys are always disappointed when they realize that Santa only gives out peppermint candy canes, not the fruity ones!
These candy cane cupcakes are soft, moist, and delightfully indulgent with a double dose of peppermint – peppermint batter and peppermint buttercream frosting on top! Top them crumbled up peppermints for a beautiful Christmas dessert that’s perfect for a Friendmas, girls night, or even an office Christmas party!
At that point, you get to crown your cupcakes with whatever you like. Crushed peppermint candies, mini candy canes, white chocolate shavings, or peppermint kisses, it’s up to you. Using up leftover candy canes is the perfect excuse to make them after Christmas too!
Pair these wintry desserts with Santa hat cupcakes elf cupcakes and hot chocolate cupcakes to give the kids something to enjoy while the adults get these peppermint cupcakes!
Why you’ll love These Cupcakes
- Made from scratch – This is your chance to impress your guests this holiday season with homemade, professional-looking cupcakes. Skip the store-bought packs of Christmas cupcakes from now on!
- Ready in 30 minutes – They’re so easy to make they’re baked and ready to enjoy in 30 minutes.
- Look and taste like Christmas – The red and white swirls, the fluffy creamy frosting on top, and the flavor combination of sweetness and peppermint brings on all the holiday feels.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Milk – I always recommend using whole milk for the fullest flavor, and I definitely recommend that here for the frosting to have the richest flavor possible!
- Large egg whites – Bring them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you begin so they start at room temperature. This helps with baking evenly. We’re only using the whites to ensure the cupcakes remain nice and white.
- Peppermint extract – make sure you’re getting peppermint extract and not mint extract. They’re close but totally different flavors!
- Red gel food coloring – I highly recommend using red gel food coloring in these cupcakes so that you can use the least amount possible while still getting a bold color profile. The liquid food coloring tends to require more drops for the same color.
- Peppermint candies – while these are an optional garnish, the crushed peppermint candies on top really elevate these to a fancy Christmas dessert!
How to make Candy Cane Cupcakes
These from scratch candy cane cupcakes might sound intimidating but they’re at about a two on the difficulty scale, one being using a box cake mix like we do for our Christmas bundt cake.
This recipe is literally just combining all of the ingredients to make a peppermint cupcake batter, baking, and then frosting! Frosting the cupcakes is probably the hardest part!
1 – make the peppermint cupcake batter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a standard sized muffin pan by lining it with two cupcake liners. Set the pan aside for later.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine the oil and sugar in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and whisk together until fluffy. It should only take about 90 seconds with an electric mixer.
Once that’s fluffy, add in the milk and mix to combine.
Next whisk in the egg whites one at a time then add the peppermint extract. Add a little peppermint at a time and taste the batter to make sure the peppermint is to your taste.
Then add in the flour mixture and gently fold that into the oil and egg.
If there are still small lumps in the batter that’s fine, just make sure the batter is fully mixed together! The lumps will melt and smooth out while the batter is baking.
2 – Color the cupcakes
To add a peppermint twist look, take 1/3 of the batter and put it in a separate bowl. Add red food coloring to the bowl and stir the batter until the batter is fully colored. Like I mentioned in my notes, I recommend starting with just a few drops then adding more as desired to get a bold red color (like you would in a red velvet cake).
You’ll have 2/3 of your batter that’s the normal color and 1/3 that’s red.
Next, using a large spoon scoop a large amount of batter into each cupcake liner. Then use a teaspoon and put two teaspoons of red batter on top of the white batter. Then add one more teaspoon of the white batter on top of the red batter.
Unlike our swirled Easter cake, you’re not going to swirl it around – you’re going to leave it just like that so you get more of a color block look than a swirl, similar to have a candy cane is striped.
3 – Bake the Peppermint Cupcakes
Put the cupcakes into the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes. Test to see if the cupcakes are done by placing a toothpick into the center of the cupcakes and if the toothpick comes out clean, they are finished.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove and let them cool on a cooling rack completely before frosting them.
4 – Make the Peppermint Buttercream
To make the buttercream, cream the butter with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy (and it’s gone from bright yellow to a pale yellow).
Add in the peppermint extract, then slowly add in the powdered sugar until the buttercream is a smooth and thick consistency.
Add in two tablespoons of milk to make the buttercream more creamy. Next add a little bit of salt to taste, just about a pinch. The salt helps balance out sweetness.
Mix it all together until the peppermint buttercream is nice and fluffy.
5 – Decorate the Candy Cane Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are cooled completely, put the frosting into a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes after they’re cooled.
Tip!
Wait to frost and decorate the cupcakes until just before you’re ready to serve. If you’re not planning to serve the cupcakes until later, you can make the cupcakes ahead of time and store the unfrosted cupcakes in a large zipper bag or airtight container until you’re ready to serve. Or you can freeze for up to three months and frost just before serving!
Decorate the cupcakes with crushed peppermint, candy canes, or even peppermint kisses. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve!
Tips & tricks
- Cool cupcakes before frosting. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled off before adding the buttercream. If the cupcakes are still warm, the frosting will melt.
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter once the dry ingredients are added. This may affect how much the cupcakes rise in the oven.
- Adjust the peppermint extract to your taste. Some extracts are stronger than others.
- Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Recipe FAQs
What is the secret to fluffy cupcakes?
In our peppermint cupcakes, we’re using both baking soda and baking powder to give them light textures and a fluffy rise. You also want to make sure your oil and sugars are whipped nicely so they trap enough air. Not over mixing the cupcake batter is also crucial to not release any of the trapped air.
How to store candy cane cupcakes?
Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to five days. To extend their freshness a little longer, they can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can I freeze them?
Sure you can. I recommend freezing the candy cane cupcakes without the frosting. Make sure they’re cooled down completely then store them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to three months. Bring them to room temperature and top with the peppermint buttercream frosting.
More Peppermint Desserts
If you like peppermint, try one of these delicious peppermint flavored Christmas desserts next!
- Frosted peppermint sugar cookies – Soft and fluffy cookies topped with frosting, crushed peppermint, chocolate shavings, and coarse sugar.
- Peppermint chocolate thumbprint cookies – Soft and fudgy chocolate cookies topped with a peppermint kiss.
- Peppermint hot chocolate – Creamy and chocolaty with a peppermint kick perfect for sipping by the fire.
- Edible peppermint cookie dough – A no-bake sweet treat great for satisfying a sweet tooth on a whim or gifting to friends and family.
- Candy cane cookies – Red and white sugar cookie dough wrapped in the shape of everyone’s favorite Christmas treat.
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Candy Cane Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ Cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ Cup oil
- ¾ Cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ Cup milk
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- ¼ tsp red Gel food coloring
Peppermint Buttercream
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 4 Cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp salt optional
- peppermint candy for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a standard sized muffin pan by lining it with 12 cupcake liners. Set the pan aside for later.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 2/3 Cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the oil and sugar together until fluffy. It should only take about 90 seconds with an electric mixer. Then mix in the milk until the batter is smooth.1/3 Cup oil, 3/4 Cup granulated sugar, 1/3 Cup milk
- Whisk in the egg whites one at a time then add the peppermint extract.3 large egg whites, 2 tsp peppermint extract
- Add in the flour mixture and gently fold into the oil and egg mix.
- Take 1/3 of the cupcake batter and put it in a separate bowl. Add red food coloring and stir the batter until the batter is fully colored.1/4 tsp red Gel food coloring
- Scoop a large amount of batter into each cupcake liner. Then use a teaspoon and put 2 teaspoons of red batter on top of the white batter. Then one more teaspoon of the white batter on top of the red batter.
- Put the cupcakes into the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes. After the cupcakes are done let them cool before frosting.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- To make the buttercream, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add in the peppermint extract, then slowly add in the powdered sugar until the buttercream is a smooth and thick consistency.1 Cup Unsalted Butter, 1 tsp peppermint extract, 4 Cups powdered sugar
- Add in 2 tablespoons of milk to make the buttercream more creamy. Add a little bit of salt to taste, about a pinch.2 Tbsp milk, 1/4 tsp salt
- Put the frosting into a piping bag and with a large star tip pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes after they’re cooled. Use crushed peppermint, candy canes, or even peppermint kisses to decorate the cupcakes.peppermint candy for decoration
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info
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