Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe

Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe tastes like a peppermint bark and vanilla cake mash-up, with a tender crumb, cool mint, and a sweet candy crunch on top. Busy hosts, holiday bakers, and peppermint fans will love that it takes about 1 hour start to finish. I baked a batch for my niece’s choir practice and the box came home suspiciously empty.

Why You Should Try This Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe

This Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe delivers bakery-style peppermint cupcakes without the bakery line. You get balanced mint, real vanilla, and a soft, moist texture from sour cream. Crushed candy canes add sparkle and a little crunch that makes every bite feel festive.

You can bake the cupcakes ahead and frost later, which helps when the calendar gets packed. The buttercream pipes cleanly and holds shape for parties. I also include a cake mix shortcut for those nights when you just want dessert to happen.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (spoon and level for accuracy, King Arthur gives consistent texture)
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (Nielsen-Massey or McCormick both taste clean)
• 1/2 cup finely crushed candy canes, plus extra for garnish
• Optional: a few drops red gel food color for a swirl or pink tint

Pantry shortcut: Use one box vanilla or white cake mix plus 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and 1/2 cup sour cream, then bake as directed below.

Peppermint Buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, to taste
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 2 ounces cream cheese for a light tang and extra stability

Store-bought swap: Whip 2 tubs vanilla frosting with 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract until fluffy.

Equipment

• 12-cup muffin pan and paper liners
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Two mixing bowls, whisk, rubber spatula
• Large cookie scoop for even portions
• Piping bag with large star tip, or zip-top bag with a corner snipped
• Zip-top bag and rolling pin to crush candy canes
• Wire rack and toothpicks

How to Make Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes

• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 18 to 20 minutes
• Total: about 1 hour including cooling
• Yield: 12 cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the bowl aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and peppermint extract.
5. Stir milk and sour cream together in a measuring cup. This helps the batter mix smoothly.
6. Add one third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low. Pour in half the milk mixture and mix. Repeat, then finish with the last third of dry ingredients. Mix just until the batter looks smooth.
7. Fold in the crushed candy canes with a spatula. Add a few drops of red gel if you want a light pink batter.
8. Scoop the batter into liners, filling each about two thirds full. Tap the pan gently to level.
9. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan once if your oven has hot spots.
10. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move cupcakes to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.
11. Make the buttercream: Beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar in 3 additions, alternating with splashes of cream, and beat until fluffy.
12. Beat in vanilla, peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt. Adjust cream to reach a creamy but pipeable frosting.
13. For a red-white swirl, paint two stripes of red gel inside your piping bag, then fill with frosting. Pipe generous swirls on cooled cupcakes.
14. Sprinkle with extra crushed candy canes right before serving for the best crunch.

Tips & Tricks

• Measure flour with the spoon and level method to avoid dense cupcakes.
• Use room temperature butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream so the batter emulsifies and bakes evenly.
• Dust crushed candy canes with a teaspoon of flour to help keep them from sinking.
• Add peppermint extract little by little, then taste. Peppermint can take over fast.
• Choose gel color, not liquid, to keep the batter texture steady.
• Stripe the piping bag with red gel for bakery-style swirls.
• Bake minis for 10 to 12 minutes. Check early, since small cupcakes set quickly.
• Hold the candy cane sprinkle until serving to keep the crunch.

What to Serve with Candy Cane Cupcakes

I like these peppermint cupcakes with hot cocoa or a peppermint mocha for peak holiday vibes. Coffee with a splash of vanilla creamer balances the sweetness. A scoop of vanilla ice cream turns one cupcake into a plated Christmas dessert, and fresh raspberries add a bright, tart pop. If you serve them after dinner, bring them out with a tray of cocoa stir sticks and watch them vanish.

Make-Ahead

Bake cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. Mix frosting up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate it covered, then let it soften and rewhip before piping.

Store frosted cupcakes at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, well wrapped, and thaw at room temperature. Freeze frosting for 1 month, then thaw in the fridge and rewhip. Add crushed candy cane garnish right before serving to avoid melting from humidity.

Nutrition Information

Approximate per frosted cupcake, including candy cane garnish: Values will vary based on brands, portion size, and how much frosting you pipe.

• Calories: 360
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Carbohydrates: 48 g
• Sugar: 36 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Sodium: 170 mg

Adaly Kandice

Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes Recipe

Delicious Candy Cane Cupcakes are festive, fluffy treats with a hint of peppermint, perfect for holiday celebrations.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• red food coloring
• crushed candy canes, for topping

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and peppermint extracts.
5. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly among cupcake liners.
7. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool completely before frosting.

1. Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
2. Add milk and peppermint extract; beat until combined. Add red food coloring if desired for a candy cane effect.
3. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes on top.

Notes

For a marbled candy cane effect, swirl a few drops of red food coloring into the frosting before piping onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.