This time of year is filled with baking. I feel like I begin baking the day after Thanksgiving and I don't stop until Christmas Eve! It's just that there are so many holiday parties, activities, and friends to give treats too. Not to mention that I want to make as many new goodies as possible.
I couldn't wait to get started baking as soon as I received my Holiday Flavor Bundle from Nielsen-Massey. I tried to think of a recipe that would use all three of the flavors but I was stumped. I did manage to come up with these Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Swirl Frosting which uses two of the tasty flavors. It's really a delicious cupcake perfect for the holidays.
The cupcakes are fluffy, tender, and have a great vanilla flavor from the Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. This isn't your average vanilla. It packs a ton of flavor that really shines through in these cupcakes. Sometimes I feel like I have to use so much vanilla extract in a recipe in order to taste it but I didn't have that problem with this vanilla.
After the cupcakes cooled I made a peppermint buttercream frosting with the peppermint extract. A little bit of this extract goes a long way so add a tiny bit at a time until you have the perfect flavor. I then split the frosting in half, dyed on portion red and left the other portion white, and piped a beautiful Peppermint Swirl Frosting on top of the cupcakes.
Then, because I can't leave anything alone, I topped my cupcakes with sparkling sanding sugar and a few festive sprinkles. They looked so pretty I almost didn't want to eat them! When I did take a bite they were pure Christmas. The vanilla cupcake was subtle until the bold peppermint frosting. I can't wait to take these to my next holiday party!
- 1½ c. flour
- 1½ t. baking powder
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ¾ c. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 t. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ t. nutmeg
- ½ c. milk
- 12 T. butter, softened
- 3 c. powdered sugar
- 1 t. Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract
- 1 T. milk
- red food coloring
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until well combined.
- Add in the egg, vanilla, and nutmeg and mix well.
- Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add in the milk and stir until just combined.
- Mix in the remaining flour until just combined.
- Fill the muffin cups ¾ of the way full with the batter.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the frosting put the butter in a bowl and mix on high speed with a mixer until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Mix in the peppermint extract and milk.
- Divide the frosting into two bowls. Color one of the bowls red.
- Place the white frosting in one piping bag and the red frosting in another piping bag. Snip off the ends of each and place both inside a larger piping bag fitted with a tip.
- Pipe a swirl frosting on each cupcake. Top with sprinkles if desired.
I received a Holiday Flavor Bundle from Nielsen-Massey but all opinions are 100% my own.
Jeremy McLaughlin
Would make cookies
Allyson Tice
i would make some chocolate chip almond cookies!
Lauren
I would make a cheesecake.
Brittany
Penut butter blossoms!
Helen
My husband likes homemade sugar cookies and butter cookies, so I would probably make some of those.
Michelle J.
Frosted sugar cookies!
Rose Alvarez
I would make something with chocolate and peppermint like a cake or squares
Carolsue
I would make Peppermint Shortbread Cookies!
sandra
I would make cookies!
manda shank
I would make cookies.
Glenda Jean
I would make peppermint meringues and dip the bottoms in chocolate.
Tim
My wife likes to make double chocolate chip cookies, which are chocolate chip cookies with cocoa in the batter. I think adding some peppermint extract to this cookie would be great. Mint chocolate chip cookies sound delicious.
HezziD
That sounds really yummy!
Annamarie V
I would use the almond extract in my homeade custard recipes that I put in my creampuffs.
Leah Sorensen
I would make peppermint cupcakes to bring in to work!
Ellen
A cupcake with an almond buttercream!
Annette
I would make cupcakes and cookies and then put some of the flavors in the icing. I like to make white chocolate covered pretzels and would try using the flavoring.
Audrey Stewart
I would make the almond flavor wedding cookie.