This post contains affiliate links and/or images. We are going to get our Christmas tree this weekend. After we decorate it, we will sit in our pajamas, drink hot chocolate with marshmallows and watch Elf. Once the tree goes up, we start our hard core baking! I love to bake with my kids. We have fun creating recipes that will become a family favorite holiday tradition. At Caitlin’s request, we are making Candy Cane Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting.
I love peppermint in small doses. Caitlin on the other hand could eat it in just about everything. As soon as the candy canes hit the shelves, she starts stocking up! She is rarely seen without one in her mouth! She will stir the marshmallows in her hot chocolate with them!
For our holiday baking needs, we usually have 2-3 bottles of peppermint extract in the spice cabinet. We also use it when we make out peppermint bath bombs, which I will be posting the DIY for that next week on the blog!
Wilton Christmas Cupcake Liners, 75-CountKootek 42 Pieces Cake Decorating Supplies Kit with 36 Icing Tips, 2 Silicone Pastry Bags, 2 Flower Nails, 2 Reusable Plastic Couplers Baking Supplies Frosting Tools Set for Cupcakes Cookies
Darice 2655 Decorative Vintage Wooden Sleigh Medium 16 x 6 x 4.7 Inches
Brach’s Star Brites Peppermint Starlight Mints Hard Candy, 5 Pound Value Pack
For the Candy Cane Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting we had to play with the recipe to get the right balance between the extract and the crushed peppermint candies. If you used too much of either, the taste was overpowering.
Another thing we found was the original Candy Cane Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting recipe for the frosting did not hold up as well as I would have liked. I did some research and found if you added shortening to your recipe, the frosting will be stiffer. The original recipe substituted shortening for butter 100%. We felt the taste was not right. When we added just 1/3 cup, it was perfect! The taste was buttery and the frosting stood up quite well!
We shared our final Candy Cane Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting recipe with several of Caitlin’s teachers and friends. They really loved them! The frosting is absolutely dynamite! I could eat that by the truckload! It is smooth and creamy and has just a hint of the peppermint flavor. It is the perfect topping to the moist and tasty cupcakes. They turned out just perfect! I know you will think so too!
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- Water, vegetable oil and egg whites for cake mix
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon red paste food color
- For the Peppermint Buttercream:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks), for stiffer frosting, substitute 1/3 cup shortening.
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup peppermint candies, crushed
Instructions
- Mix cake according to directions and add the peppermint extract and food coloring.
- Bake as cupcakes according to directions on cake mix box
- While cupcakes are cooling, fit stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Cream butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy
- Reduce speed to low, and add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract. Increase speed to medium and mix for one more minute. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.

What is a dessert recipe you would like to try this holiday season? Or what is a family favorite you make every year?
Those cupcakes sound awesome. I can’t wait to make these for dessert on Christmas!
These are all sorts of Christmas, holiday spirit for sure! I love the idea of making candy cane cupcakes with peppermint buttercream frosting. What a delicious treat for the holidays!
There literally could be nothing better for Christmas than these cupcakes. They look so good, and peppermint is always a winner.
I need these in my life immediately! I go for everything peppermint this time of year. I love the idea of peppermint buttercream. That just sounds amazing.
My mom makes some awesome rum balls and real fudge with walnuts…the kind you need a candy thermometer for! I’m good with the melted chocolate chips lol! Also I try and !ake my great grandma’s molasses cookies but they never taste as good as hers did!
Tis the season for peppermint and these cupcakes look just as delicious as they do festive. My kids would love them!
Those cupcakes are gorgeous! So festive looking! And they sound delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Your recipes never cease to amaze me! I’d love to sample a couple! I may have to make these.
This is such a fantastic idea! I love candy canes and anything peppermint flavored. We will definitely be giving this a try!
All round goodness here!!! And I love Buttercream frosting!!!
Hellooooo beautiful and fluffy deliciousness!! <3
These look perfect for Christmas. I love peppermint and candy cane flavored anything.
Wow this are gorgeous, looks professionally made. I love candy cane flavor.
I am not a huge mint fan. But I do love the presentation of these. They would make lovely gifts.
I like peppermint everything. These look so festive. Thanks for the tips about the frosting.
These are lovely. They look like something I would find in a great bakery. I’m not a big peppermint person but I know people who are and these would be beautiful on my party dessert buffet. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your holiday recipes!
I have been looking for some recipes to make for my holiday party. These Candy Cane Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting look so delicious I am sure they will be a big hit.
These look so good. This would be a great use for all those candy canes that we get.
These look really good! Christmas is not complete in our house without peppermint desserts! This is a must make!
I offices I still have mint extract very Fromm like Asta’s year and I was just planning to out it to use. These cupcakes would be perfect.
Ooh, peppermint cupcakes! Delicious! I could eat a dozen of them! I will ask my sister to help me with this. We can make a big batch to share with friends and family on Christmas day!
Wow. What a delicious looking batch of cupcakes! My children would go nuts over these. Thanks for sharing the recipe. You can be sure I will make these for Christmas!
This is such an amazing recipe idea! I love candy canes and everything to do with them.
These cupcakes look so yummy! I love the candy cane on top making it look so festive!
It looks very good. What is red paste food color? I have never heard of “paste” food color. I want to try it out. I love peppermint flavored items too.
Great recipe! I love the idea of crushed candy can on top of the cupcake instead of sprinkles. I will be making this recipe for my neighborhood holiday party.
Whoa! This just screams “The holidays”! Beautiful and festive! My family would love these! I am a fan of peppermint/candy cane flavor so this is right up our alley! Great recipe!
oh wow this recipe has me totally forgetting about everything pumpkin spice – bring on the peppermint!! I’d love to try this!
I love the visual but I am curious what it will actually taste like! Does it taste like candy muffin? haha.
This is the 100% Christmas cupcake! They look so delicious and festive! I love the colors too!
Those look amazing! We are making a list of holidays treats and goodies to make and these might be added to the list.
Buttercream is my absolute fave!! I would love to give this recipe a try for Christmas or even Christmas Eve!
The perfect treat for Christmas time. Yum!
These cupcakes look so delicious and festive for the holidays. I will make these for our Christmas party and sure they will be a hit!
I bet this frosting would be great with chocolate cupcakes. Every year I serve a large dessert buffet at the holiday. Cakes, pies, cookies, and more. These would look fabulous.
Wow! This candy cane cupcakes with peppermint buttercream frosting are really tempting and delicious. This is perfect for a Holiday treat. I will definitely try to make this one.
These look so good! I’m not sure how I’d feel about the peppermint icing, but I’m definitely going to give it a try. These look like the perfect holiday treats! Thanks for sharing!
I was actually thinking of spicing my holiday kitchen routine up this year. Thank you for useful tips.
These would be great to take to a party I’m going to. Most people like peppermint.
These cupcakes would be great to make for the kids Christmas party nothing says Christmas like a candy cane flavored cupcake.
These sound amazing and with cake mix as a starter they sound easy enough that I think I will bake them during the holidays.
What a wonderful recipe. The cupcakes are so pretty and they would be a wonderful surprise for my family. They would love them.
I’d love to try gingerbread cookies. I think it would be fun to decorate them.
These look delicious! I love peppermint anything!
These look so good. I love Candy Canes. Definitely want to make these.
We are going to make these for Valentines Day for the Sunday School Class. The girls are so excited.
These are so pretty 🙂 I love anything peppermint!