Candy Cane Cupcakes

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Yields 24 cupcakes

24 chocolate cupcakes (use your favorite homemade recipe or box mix)
1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons peppermint extract, depending on personal preference
4 cups (500 grams) powdered sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Red gel food coloring
Crushed candy canes (about 4 large candy canes)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Continue beating and add the vanilla extract, salt, and peppermint extract (start with 1 teaspoon and increase if you would like a stronger flavor). Gradually mix in the powdered sugar and heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add a small amount of cream until desired consistency is achieved. If frosting is not thick enough, add powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. Set aside.

In a large pastry bag (or large plastic bag with a corner cut out), using a toothpick or small brush to paint 3 thin lines of red food coloring, evenly spaced apart, up the inside of the bag (it should look like this photograph). I used a 1M tip, but any tip should work well. Fill the pastry bag with frosting, taking care not to scrape the sides of the bag with a spatula or spoon. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled chocolate cupcakes.

When refilling the pastry bag you can repeat the food coloring process to get a bright red color for the frosting or you can leave it as is and still get colored candy stripes, but they will be fainter in brightness.

Sprinkle the cupcakes with the crushed candy canes and serve. The cupcakes can be stored overnight in an airtight container (however, the candy canes may take on a slightly melted appearance if moisture gets trapped in the container).