Now, I know Christmas is over, but I promised I would share this recipe and it does solve the problem of what to do with all of those leftover candy canes!
I made these delightful little things for my Girls' Annual Christmas Party earlier this month. Keith and I each sneaked one before the party and they were delicious!
INGREDIENTS
CUPCAKES:
1 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PEPPERMINT FROSTING:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
16 hard peppermint candies, finely crushed (about 1/3 cup)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cupcakes, place brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; I like to use my KitchenAid mixer for something like this.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Measure the buttermilk.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
Doesn't that just look like heaven??
Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups lined with paper liners.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center.
Mine cracked a little :( But that's nothing frosting can't fix!
Now, on to the frosting! 4oz cream cheese,
2 cups powdered sugar,
1/8 a teaspoon peppermint extract (and no more! it is strong stuff!)and now whip it up!
Now you can unwrap all of those peppermints! This took a few minutes, so it might be something you'll want to do while the cupcakes bake OR something your husband / wife/ significant other / child / helper can do while you are busy cooking!
Now put them in zip lock bag and place the bag in you cutting board and whack those candies with your meat mallet (or heavy pot or rolling pin).
I spooned the frosting into a piping bag and after my cupcakes cooled I iced them in a swirl pattern.
Then sprinkle with crushed peppermints!
Don't they look purty?! They taste great too :)
Enjoy!
2 comments:
these look absolutely incredible!!! oh i love anything and everything with peppermint in it
Thanks Natasha! Peppermint is my ultimate favorite Christmas scent / flavor! It reminds me of being a kid!
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