Red Velvet Peppermint Cupcakes

I made these last night for an upcoming Christmas party we are attending on Friday. The theme is Candy Cane Christmas, so these will be perfect. I haven’t had one yet, but Scott says they are delicious and possibly his favorite of the cupcakes I have made so far (even though he says that almost every time). So, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

 

Cupcakes:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup plain applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 cup soy milk mixed with 1 Tbls Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-ounce red food coloring gel
• 10 ounce bag of Candy Cane Hershey’s Kisses
• Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (if desired)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held electric beater, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, applesauce, vegetable oil and beat well, then add the soy milk, vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring; beat until just combined. Add dry ingredients to the wet and blend until smooth and thoroughly combined.

 

Fill cupcake tins (with liners) 1/3 of the way full. Place an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss in the center, on top of the batter.

 

Cover the kisses with more batter until tins are 2/3 full. I sprinkled the batter with some Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips before putting them in the oven. Bake in the center rack of the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

 

Let cool completely before frosting.

 

 

Frosting: (I experimented a little bit with this, so hopefully I can remember everything I put in!)

Ingredients

• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 4 ounces Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
• 5 cups Powdered Sugar

Directions

Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the cream and soy milk until thoroughly blended. Mix in the Peppermint Extract. Blend in the Powdered Sugar 1 cup at a time. Use more or less to get the thickness you want.

 

To get the peppermint Red and White look, you’ll need a frosting bag. Paint 2 streaks of red gel food coloring on the insides of the bag.

 

 

Squeeze out the frosting slowly in a circular motion, and you’ll get this:

 

The recipe made a ton! I did a tray of mini cupcakes as well as another 24 regular sized cupcakes.

I love the way they turned out and it was actually much easier than I thought it would be!

 

ENJOY!

 

12/9/11

P.S. Ok I ate one of these tonight at our party and they are DIVINE. So yummy.  They turned out perfectly moist and the frosting was super soft and yummy (Even after being in the freezer for a few days and then unthawing).

 

Go make some. You’ll thank me later, I swear.