Candy Cane Cupcakes

One of my most popular items this holiday season is my Candy Cane Cupcake Kit (shown below) and so I thought I'd share with you a fantastic recipe for Candy Cane Cupcakes to go with this kit.

Start with 3/4 cup of crushed peppermint candy canes and any boxed chocolate cake mix. Make the cake batter according to the directions and then fold in the crushed candy canes at the end. Pour into your cupcake liners and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe is fantastic when paired with a white chocolate buttercream made as follows:

Ingredients
7 oz white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Instructions
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and butter with an electric mixer and then add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. When you've added all the sugar, the icing will appear dry. Add in the milk and beat at medium speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. As a last step, fold in the melted chocolate.

Use a large pastry bag and a round or star tip (try my Cupcake Frosting Kit) to pipe the buttercream onto your cooled cupcakes. Finish off with our red and white sprinkles or add some more crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!