Peppermint Twist Cupcakes

By dette

For an easy decoration on the tops of these cupcakes, sprinkle with crushed peppermnt candies.

Ingredients

• CUPCAKES:
• White cupcakes
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• Red paste food color
• PEPPERMINT FROSTING
• 5 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 6-8 tbsp milk
• GARNISH:
• red liquid food color

Preparation

Step 1

Make white cupcakes as directed in recipe except-spoon 1 1/2 c. cake batter into small bowl; stir in 1/4 tsp peppermint extract and paste food color to make red batter.

Into each muffin cup, spoon about 1 tbsp white cake batter. Top with about 1 tbsp red batter, then 1 tbsp white batter. With table knife, draw and "S" in batter of each muffin cup to swirl batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks to cool.

Meanwhile, i large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, 1 tsp peppermint extract and 6 tbsp mik with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in additional mik, 1 tsp at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread scant 2 tbsp frosting on each cupcake.

With tine paintbrush, "paint" liquid food color in swirl pattern on frosting on each cupcake.

cal 310; fat 11g; sat fat 4.5g; chol 10mg; sod 160mg; carb 51g; prot 3g; 1 starch; 2 1/2 other carb 2 fat; carb chocies: 3 1/2

Using cake mix:
Substitute 1 box white cake mix for the white cupcakes make cake mix as directed on box EXCEPT-sppon 1 1/4c. cake batter into small bowl; sti in 1/4 tsp peppermint extract and red food color. Into each muffin cup, spoon about 1 tbsp white cake batter. Top with scant 1 tbsp red batter, then 1 tbsp white batter. With table knife draw an "S" in batter of each muffin cup to swirl batter. Bake and cool as directed. For the frosting, substitute 1 container butter cream or vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting mixed with 1/4 tsp peppermint extract. Frost and decorate as directed in recipe.