These cute and festive Candy Cane Cupcakes are the perfect Christmas or Holiday treat. Topped with homemade peppermint buttercream frosting, these cupcakes taste just like a candy cane!
These Candy Cane Cupcakes were created because I once again found myself with a ton of candy canes after Christmas wondering what to do with them. I really don't like to waste or just throw things away so I decided to make them into cupcakes! Now, these are an annual tradition and will be on my Christmas table every year!
These cupcakes are super moist because they have butter and milk and little pieces of candy canes inside to add to the flavor and fun. The peppermint buttercream frosting is the perfect compliment to these minty and delicious treats.
Ingredients Needed to Make Candy Cane Cupcakes
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- sugar
- milk
- vanilla extract
- peppermint extract
- crushed candy canes
- confectioners powdered sugar
- heavy cream or milk
- red gel food coloring
- sprinkles of choice
How to Make Candy Cane Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350° and prepare a cupcake pan with liners. This batter will make 12 regular cupcakes or 30 mini cupcakes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine the milk and the vanilla and peppermint extracts and also set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, fully mixing them in each time. Put half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and beat in on low just until combined. Pour in the milk mixture and mix in. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and then the milk just until everything is combined.
- Crush the candy canes into small pieces in a bag. Add a small sprinkle of flour to the bag and shake to cover the candy cane pieces and add them to the batter and mix in.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners until they are ¾ full. Bake for 12-14 minutes for mini cupcakes or 20-22 minutes for regular cupcakes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).
How to Make Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for 3-4 minutes with the beater attachment. Add one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream or milk and fully combine. Repeat with another cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream. Add the extracts and continuing mixing. Add more powdered sugar and cream to get your desired sweetness and consistency.
Tips for Making Candy Cane Cupcakes
In order to make the best cupcakes ever, make sure you follow all of the steps in this recipe.
One of the most important things is to make sure your ingredients are all at room temperature before baking. Another super important tip is DO NOT OVERMIX the batter. Otherwise, you will end up with dense cupcakes, which is not good.
Only use your stand mixer or hand mixer to get everything combined at the end. Use your spatula to scrape down the bowl and incorporate the candy cane pieces Lastly, make sure the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Frosting that is runny and melted is never a good thing.
More Holiday Recipes to Check Out
- Candy Cane Syrup
- Reindeer Rice Krispie Treats
- Boozy Sugared Cranberries
- Almond Kiss Cookies
- Santa Hat Rice Krispie Treats
- Gingerbread Donuts
Candy Cane Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- cupcake pan (mini or regular)
- plastic wrap
- pastry bag and piping tip
Ingredients
Candy Cane Cupcakes
- 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup milk, room temp
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes (about 2 large candy canes)
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 2-3 cups confectioners powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk
- red gel food coloring
- sprinkles of choice (optional, but ALWAYS a good idea!)
Instructions
Candy Cane Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine the milk and the vanilla and peppermint extracts and also set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and continue to beat until creamy and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, fully mixing them in each time. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat in on low just until combined. Add the milk mixture and mix in. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and then the milk just until everything is combined. Don't overmix or your cupcakes will be dense! Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed in.
- Crush the candy canes into small pieces in a bag. Add a small sprinkle of flour to the bag and shake to cover the candy cane pieces. This will help them float in the batter instead of going right to the bottom. Add the candy canes to the batter and give a few gentle stirs to mix in.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners until they are ¾ full. Bake for 12-14 minutes for mini cupcakes or 20-22 minutes for regular cupcakes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before frosting.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for 3-4 minutes with the beater attachment. Add one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream or milk and fully combine. Repeat with another cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream. Add the extracts and continue mixing. Add more powdered sugar and cream to get your desired sweetness and consistency (I used 2 cups powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon cream).
- To get the swirl, you will need to place half of the frosting in another mixing bowl. Add the red food coloring and mix in completely.
- Spread out a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Take the white frosting and lay it out in a line. Do the same with the red frosting right next to the white. Gently roll the two frostings together creating a tube, hold each end of the plastic wrap and spin around until each end is nice and tight.
- Cut off one end and place the entire plastic tube into the piping bag fitted with a tip. When you squeeze out the frosting you will have half red and half white! Add sprinkles if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes 12 regular cupcakes or 30 mini cupcakes.
- Nutrition info is for 1 regular cupcake.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Show Me Your Candy Cane Cupcakes!
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Gina Abernathy says
So pretty and festive!
Emily says
Thanks, Gina!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
How gorgeous are these cupcakes? We always have leftover candy canes and now I know what to do with them lol.
Emily says
Yes! they are so yummy and work great for new years too 🎉
Bobbie says
Hi Emily, love this recipe! It is so festive and perfect for the holidays!!
Emily says
Thanks, Bobbie. Happy Holidays!
Sue says
This is a perfect holiday cupcake!! Pinning!
Emily says
Yes! You can never go wrong with a cupcake!
Cindy Mom, the Lunch Lady says
What beautiful cupcakes!! With a few flavour changes they could easily be make all year round. YUM!!
Emily says
Thank you!! You are right, Cindy. The base of these cupcakes is perfect for so many flavor possibilities.
Holly Poulsen says
I absolutely love how you swirled the colors in the frosting! They look fabulous!
Emily says
Thanks, Holly! It's surprising easy to do if you just take a few extra steps, and totally worth it!
Gabriela Herrera says
These are just the most beautiful cupcakes i have ever seen. I love how they can easily adapt to Valentines Day as well. A must try for sure.
Emily says
Thanks, Gabriela...I actually didn't even think of that but you're right, they would be great for Valentine's Day as well!