Candy cane Cupcakes

These Candy Cane Cupcakes are a perfect festive treat! Soft and fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with a peppermint buttercream icing and a mini candy cane, these cupcakes not only look cute, but taste amazing too!

I don’t know about you, but I’m finding it hard to believe we’re in December 2021 already….has it really been a year since last Christmas?? This year has gone by ridiculously fast.

Yes, it’s that time of year when many of us start to think of festive bakes and desserts. I enjoy baking all year long, but I absolutely love Christmas baking.

I made these candy cane cupcakes last December, but I just didn’t get around to posting the recipe. So I thought it was about time I shared them with you. The chocolate cupcakes are deliciously soft and fluffy and the peppermint buttercream frosting is so light and dreamy.

Chocolate mint is such a classic combination – my easy mint chocolate cake could also be decorated with candy canes, making it perfect for the festive season.

I love mint chocolate so much I even have a recipe for peppermint candy cane hot chocolate mix – it makes a great Christmas gift, or make it as a treat for yourself! While you’re at it, you could also make a batch of these peppermint chocolate cookies…..

why you’ll love this recipe

• So easy to make – and the cupcakes take under 20 minutes to bake!

• Easy, fuss free decoration yet looks very festive and pretty

• They are so delicious – mint chocolate fans will love them

recipe notes

• The cupcake batter is runnier than your average cake batter. When you first make it, you’ll think you’ve done something wrong. You haven’t. The batter is supposed to be runny. You’ll need to pour the batter into the cupcake liners. I find it easier to use a jug.

• To give the cupcakes an extra minty chocolate hit, swap the vanilla extract out for 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. I like the Nielsen-Massey brand.

• The cupcakes look so cute topped with a mini candy cane, but you could decorate them with crushed candy canes instead if you like.

• If you aren’t a fan of chocolate cupcakes, you could use my easy vanilla cupcake recipe instead

more christmas bakes to try

• Christmas tree cupcakes

• easy iced gingerbread cookies

• sticky gingerbread cupcakes

• after eight muffins

• chocolate fudge crinkle cookies

• Christmas rocky road

• Baileys Yule log

• Christmas Linzer cookies

did you make this reciPe?

I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below and rate the recipe by clicking on the stars in the recipe card.

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Candy Cane Cupcakes

Yield: makes 12

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes

Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes - chocolate cupcakes topped with a peppermint buttercream frosting and topped with a mini candy cane!

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 180ml boiling water
• 130g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 85g soft butter
• 150g soft light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the peppermint buttercream frosting:
• 300g icing sugar, sifted
• 150g soft unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 12 mini candy canes, for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F/Gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
2. Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Pour over the boiling water and mix until smooth and lump free.
3. Whisk the flour, espresso powder if using, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.
4. Place the butter in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, (or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer) add the brown sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract, egg and egg yolk until the mixture is well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once to ensure everything is well incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the cocoa and water mixture, then fold in the flour mixture until the batter is smooth. It will be a very liquid batter, but that's how it should be.
6. Pour the batter into the cases, two thirds full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cupcakes have risen and spring back when lightly pressed in the middle. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
7. To make the buttercream frosting, cream the butter, icing sugar and peppermint extract together on high speed in an electric mixer until very light and fluffy.
8. To decorate the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe swirls of frosting on the cold cupcakes and top with a mini candy cane.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 1gSugar: 47gProtein: 3g

Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.

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