These Candy Cane Cupcakes are the ultimate mint chocolate festive cupcakes! They have a fluffy mint chocolate sponge, sweet peppermint buttercream, shiny chocolate ganache and crushed candy canes. I love how festive candy canes are, and they are so iconic for Christmas time. However I have to be honest, I don't like eating a whole one. But, put their minty flavour into a cupcake and I'm obsessed! These cupcakes are so cute and fun, and delicious of course. They are great for a Christmas baking session!

This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
I recommend using a good quality peppermint extract for the perfect minty flavour. And you don't need a lot of it to get the right balance of mint versus chocolate. Remember that with peppermint, a little goes a long way!
You could also decorate the cupcakes with mini candy canes, fondant or royal icing candy cane decorations, or any mint chocolate sweets.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Candy Cane Cupcakes

Start by mixing the baking spread and caster sugar together in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes using an electric mixer. Or mix in the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Then add the eggs, peppermint extract and milk, and mix until fully incorporated. Gently fold in, or whisk by hand, the self raising flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack and leave to cool fully.

To make the buttercream, mix the softened butter for a few minutes on it's own. This is best done in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or you can use an electric hand mixer. Then add the icing sugar, milk and peppermint extract. Mix until fully combined and you have a smooth buttercream. Spread or pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes. Make the ganache by putting the dark chocolate and double cream into a bowl and microwaving for 20 seconds, stir well, then microwave in 10 second blasts, stirring well between each one until smooth and glossy. Pipe or spoon it onto the cupcakes, then decorate with crushed candy canes and candy cane sprinkles.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is the best way to crush the candy canes?

Pop them into a large mixing bowl and very gently bash them with the end of a rolling pin. You might also want to cover the bowl with a tea towel as they do have a tendency to come flying out of the bowl if you bash too hard. Or you can put them in a ziploc bag, seal it up, then gently bash with a rolling pin. You need to use the bash up fragments as soon as possible, if you leave them in the bowl for a while they will stick together.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Is butter or a baking spread better for cupcakes?

I prefer to use a baking spread (my preferred brand is Stork) for cupcake and cake sponges. I find that they are easier to use and they make the sponge rise more. You can also use most baking spread straight from the fridge, which is handy during a last minute baking emergency!

Should you use salted or unsalted butter for cupcakes?

I always use unsalted butter and baking spread for baking. This is because if you want to add salt to your recipe, you then have complete control of the salt level. Lots of people add salt to enhance the flavour of baked goods, so when you do this you want to know exactly how much you're adding. I personally prefer not to add salt to cakes and cupcakes. However, using a salted butter or baking spread will not affect the bake negatively and won't make it taste salty.

Do you have to beat the butter and sugar together for the full 5 minutes?

You don't have to, but I do recommend doing this to achieve the same results as me. I like a very slight bump or dome on my cupcakes, and for them to rise all the way to the top of the cupcake cases. I've tested this recipe multiple times and found that beating the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes achieves what I consider to be the perfect rise!

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cupcakes will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

Can these cupcakes be made gluten free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additional baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons additional baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cupcakes if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can these cupcakes be made dairy free?

For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cupcakes and the buttercream. For the buttercream I recommend using a block butter alternative, such as Flora Plant or the Stork Baking Block, for best results. For the ganache you will need to use a dairy fre alternative to double cream. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cupcakes if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

More tips for making the Candy Cane Cupcakes:

I used a Wilton 2D piping nozzle for these cupcakes.
You can spread the buttercream onto the cupcakes with a spoon if you don’t want to pipe it.
The candy cane shaped sprinkles I used are from Wilton.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Recommended equipment & ingredients

I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

More mint chocolate recipes...