Candy Cane Cupcakes

Hi everyone, things have not really slowed down yet.  In fact, life just keeps picking up the pace.  For Thanksgiving, I did manage to bake an apple cake for my new labmates but forgot to take some pictures of the final product so that recipe will have to wait.  Fortunately, I have another recipe that I have been waiting all year to post!  It is candy cane cupcakes with a peppermint swiss meringue buttercream frosting.  I have never personally been a lover of plain candy canes, always opting for a fruit flavored one instead or skipping the candy cane altogether for some chocolate.  However, I have memories of Kiki doing some heavy damage to large candy cane sticks.  These cupcakes strike a nice balance because they have the candy cane flavor but there is a creaminess from the frosting.  The cupcakes are also beautiful with the red swirls through out the cake.  Though I have to admit my “swirling” needs some work.  The tops of the cupcakes looked nicely swirled but the centers were just globs or red and white batter.  The worse part of it all was that the frosting covered up the only portion that got swirled…Either way, these cupcakes were moist, fluffy and delicious.  They are a perfect dessert for the holiday season!

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 c butter, softened
3 c sugar
2 c buttermilk
4 c cake flour (or sift 3 3/4 cups of all purpose flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp peppermint extract
½ tsp vanilla
6 egg whites
½ crushed candy canes (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cupcakes pans.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and once it is smooth add the sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture, followed by halt of the buttermilk.  Continue alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk until the ingredients are just combined.
5. Add the flavorings and the crushed candy canes.
6. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.  I suggest taking about a third of the egg whites first and this should loosen up the batter so that the remaining egg whites will be easier to fold in.  Try not to over fold the egg whites because then you will push all of the air that you beat into the eggs out.  Then the cupcake will be dense instead of fluffy.
8. Put half of the batter in a separate bowl.  Add red food coloring until it reaches the desired color.
9. Put a spoonful of each color batter into the pans and use a toothpick or chopstick to swirl the two colors together.
10. Then bake for about 10-15 minutes.  The cupcakes should pass the toothpick test.
11. 10.  Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool before frosting.*

*For the frosting, prepare a standard swiss meringue buttercream but use peppermint extract (to taste) as the flavoring instead of vanilla.

These cupcakes are super delicious and definitely embody the holiday spirit.  Just thinking about them kind of makes me want to bake some up and sit by my Christmas tree with a cupcake and a glass of chocolate.  Too bad I clean my apartment.  While 6 egg whites seem like a lot, you can always make a delicious custard from the yolks.  Then serve that with any kind of fruit!  I hope you give these a try and happy eating.