Christmas Peppermint Cupcakes

Last weekend I ventured down to London for a jolly wee holiday.  It was great to catch up with good friends, family and enjoy the warm southern climate. I swear it is always at least ten degrees warmer down in London than up here in Glasgow, also known as the frozen north!  One of the highlights of this particular trip was a visit to the Country Living Christmas fair. I will pause whilst you stop laughing and recover… It truly was extraordinary. The lovely Alice and I were able to the soak up the magic of the festive season by browsing stalls of hundreds of exhibitors from all over the UK in a festive extravaganza.  The Islington design centre was awash with sparkling reds, greens and golds. They had every decoration and gift imaginable – the good and the bad.  It was almost too much excitement for a Christmas fanatic like me. So, inspired (albeit in a rather cheesy fashion) by the spirit of christmas, when I got home I made these little cakes. You are looking at chocolate cupcakes topped with peppermint buttercream icing, sprinkled with crushed candy canes and festive mint sweets. 

It might be too early to be posting about Christmas but what the heck! Enjoy! 

You will need:

15- 20 regular chocolate cupcakes

110g unsalted butter at room temperature

60ml Semi- skimmed milk, at room temperature

½ teaspoon good quality peppermint extract (or more or less, depending on how minty you want your icing)

500g icing sugar, sifted

Few drops of green food colouring

In a large bowl beat the butter, milk peppermint extract and half the icing sugar. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy. Have a wee taste at this point to see if you need more peppermint extract.

Add a drop of green colouring and beat thoroughly. Only one drop is needed to achieve a very pale pastel hue.

Use icing to decorate chocolate cupcakes. Top with some peppermint sweets and crushed candy canes.