These candy cane cupcakes are the ultimate Christmas cupcake. With a moist vanilla muffin topped with a whipped cream frosting with real candy canes - this is an easy recipe that comes out looking and tasting just like candy canes.
Heat heavy cream in a pot over medium heat. Be careful so that it doesn't boil at any point.
2 cups heavy cream
When the cream is so hot there is steam coming from it, add in the candy cane candies. Allow the candy canes to melt and mix often so they don't stick to the bottom.
2 cups candy cane candies
When the candy canes are completely melted, take the cream off the heat and set aside to cool. When cooled, place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Vanilla Muffins
Preheat the oven for 400°F (200°C) and place muffin liners in a muffin tin or on a baking sheet.
Mix butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.
1 cup salted butter, 1 cup sugar
Add eggs and mix well.
2 eggs
In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: flour, vanilla powder and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just enough for it to be well blended.
Add milk and mix just until smooth.
1 cup milk
Bring out the lined muffin tin, and scoop your batter into the muffin liners. Don't fill them more than ⅔ of the way as they will rise.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 16-18 minutes. Test with a cake tester or tooth pick – it should come out with no or very little cake batter when they are done.
When done, set aside to cool before decorating.
Candy Cane Whipped Cream
When the candy cane cream has been in the fridge for at least 4 hours, bring it out and mix as you would a regular whipped cream.
Decorating
Bring out 1 or 2 icing bags and prep them with an icing tip or a connector first. Dip a tooth pick in the gel food coloring and making 4-6 stripes on the inside of each bag, then scoop in the cream.
Wilton "red red" food coloring*
Decorate the cupcakes with the candy cane whipped cream, then serve!
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
Butter - use salted or unsalted with a pinch of salt
Candy cane candies - either the smaller candies or break some candy canes into smaller pieces
Bright red gel food coloring - you really need to use gel food coloring here, but you can skip it if you don't have it. Same taste, just no stripes. Top with some crushed candy canes instead!
Tips & tricks
Top your cupcakes just before serving for the best result. However, they will be fine all topped and done in the fridge for a few days as well.
The easiest way to frost, is to hold your cupcake in one hand and the icing bag in the other, then hold the bag still while you turn the cupcake slowly
Skip the red line if you don't have any gel food coloring - it's a fun touch, but these cupcakes are really all about the flavor and that will still be there