holiday baking – Feasting Is Fun

Chocolate and Christmas go together like strawberries and cream in summer. Add in traditional candy canes and you have an incredible combination. So using a fantastic Classic Brownie Kit makes baking these Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies easy and a super delicious Christmas treat. And don’t worry if you can’t get hold of the kit, there’s a link before the recipe to help you make them from scratch.

FF Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies — Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies

While I enjoy baking from scratch, I am not averse to keeping good quality mixes and baking kits in the kitchen. Using the Classic Brownie Kit to whip up a batch of Brownies, makes the house smell amazing. Also, adding extra mint chocolate chunks and a topping of crushed candy cane turns these into a festive treat. Especially handy during the busy Christmas holiday season.

As soon as you bite into these rich chocolate brownies a range of textures hits your mouth. Soft fudgey chocolate brownie, crisp mint chocolate chunks, chewy crushed candy cane all blend together to create a flavour sensation. Perfect for a quick bake when unexpected guests arrive. Welcoming them in with the aroma of baking chocolate. Is there anything better?

Close up of broken candy cane on top of a chocolate drizzled brownie. — Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies

Everything you need to bake delicious Brownies is included in the kit. Yet, if you are unable to get hold of the Classic Brownie Kit then please use the recipe for Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites. Either halve the recipe, or double the quantity of candy canes, chocolate drizzle and mint chocolate.

Recipe: Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies makes 9

Classic Brownie Kit available from If I Knew You Were Comingalternatively use the brownie recipe for my Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites *follow the ingredient list and tin size for * recipe. You will make more brownies

2 Large Free Range Eggs

115g/4.5oz Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature

50g/2oz Dark Mint Chocolate chopped into chunks – I use Elizabeth Shaw Dark Mint Chocolates

100g/4oz Milk Chocolate

2 Peppermint Candy Canes

Method: Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F.

Making The Brownie Batter

First of all set out the baking tin included in the kit and place on to a baking tray. Alternatively line a 9” x 9” square tin with aluminium foil.
Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof microwaveable bowl and heat on medium powder until just melted. Stir until completely liquid and set to one side to cool.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until fully combined.
Pour the eggs slowly into the cooled chocolate mixture and stir to incorporate.
Sieve the cocoa and flour into the chocolate/egg mix and fold in until just combined.

Pour the thick, chocolate, brownie batter into the prepared baking tin.
Scatter over the chocolate chips from the kit and the mint chocolate chunks.

Baking The Peppermint Brownies

Place the Brownies into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
The Brownies are baked when the top is set and shiny with a slight crackle. There should be a very slight jiggle in the centre.
Once baked remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
As soon as the Brownies are cooled peel away the foil. Cut into 9 even sized squares and place on a cooling rack, spaced well apart.

Decorating The Candy Cane Brownies

Melt the milk chocolate for drizzling in the microwave and transfer to a small, disposable piping bag. Alternatively use a plastic zip lock bag and cut one corner off, leaving a small hole.
Take the candy canes and place in a small plastic bag. Place on to a solid surface and use a rolling pin to break the canes into small pieces.
Drizzle melted chocolate over each individual brownie, then sprinkle over some crushed candy cane.

Serve straight away, while the chocolate drizzle is still gooey. Leave to set before storing in an airtight container. Eat within 5 days.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies then you may also like these:

Dark Chocolate Ginger Brownies

Peppermint Sparkling Snowflake Cookies

Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cupcakes

Baking should be fun and not stressful. So having some reliable mixes and baking kits in the kitchen cupboard, especially during extra busy times of the year such as Christmas, simply makes sense. Also they make great presents for those who are just learning to bake. As well as being reliable the Complete Brownie Kit is also versatile see my recipe for Chocolate Brownie Raspberry Cheesecake.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing your feast.

Sammie xx

If I Knew You Were Coming provided the Complete Brownie Kit for me to make this recipe. I have not been paid to write this post. All content, opinions and photography are my own. No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Festive mint chocolate baked squares on a slate platter surrounded with silver tinsel — Peppermint Candy Cane Topped Brownies

Happy holidays to all of my lovely readers of Feasting Is Fun. Today’s recipe for Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes topped with mini gingerbread men, I hope will excite you and add some festive cheer to your day.

Is anyone else else excited about Christmas? For me a large part of the fun of Christmas is in the build up. Getting the children to write Christmas lists, putting up decorations and ordering our turkey and ham from Graig Farm. Finally making the Christmas cake, yet knowing it can’t be eaten until Christmas Day is always hard on certain members of the family. So, I baked these Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes. Perfect festive sweet treats to enjoy, during the build up to the big day!

Warning, the frosting on these cupcakes is truly addictive! Because it really, REALLY, tastes of gingerbread and once you’ve tasted it I can guarantee that you will want more. And so, in order to provide balance, the cupcake itself is only lightly spiced with ginger. The final combination of both cake and frosting is absolutely perfect. Warming, sweet and not heavy, these really are the perfect festive, sweet treat.

A single small, spiced, festive individual cake with two candles alight behind it. — Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes

Because these cupcakes are so yummy, they disappear very quickly. Always a good sign when everyone in the family absolutely loves them. And I have a feeling that making these may well become a Christmas tradition like so many other things have, in our home.

Christmas Traditions

Traditions include, decorations going up on December 1st, making mince pies then giving them to our neighbours whilst carol singing and cooking the ham on Christmas Eve. Also, tracking Santa Claus’ schedule, whilst munching on cheese straws and playing cards, have all become Christmas traditions. Each as important as putting out a drink, mince pie and carrot, before bed, on the night before Christmas.

Three festive spiced individual sponges topped with spiced whipped buttercream and a little man. — Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes

Each of the traditions has crept upon us, unplanned. If something has been done two years in a row, the children automatically dictate that it is now a tradition. So, this year, I think I will make some Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes to hand out whilst carol singing, alongside the warm mince pies. We are blessed to call our neighbours friends, so sharing homemade goodies with them, whilst they listen to our singing is always fun!

Do you have family traditions at Christmas? I’d love to hear about them.

Recipe: Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes makes 12

For the cupcakes:

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter softened

175g/6oz Caster Sugar

3 Large Eggs – I use free range

1/8tsp Salt – I use Maldon

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

2tsp Baking Powder

175g/6oz Plain White Flour

1tsp Ground Ginger

For the frosting:

500g/1lb 2oz Gingerbread Natural Flavoured Icing Sugar from Sugar and Crumbs

alternatively use the same quantity regular icing sugar (confectioners sugar) and add 2tsp of ground ginger

250g/9oz Unsalted Butter softened

2tbsp Very Hot Water

Mini Gingerbread Men (made by Culpitt) and White Edible Glitter to decorate both available online from Amazon.

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

Making and baking the cupcakes:

First of all, line a cupcake tin with 12 deep cupcake/muffin cases
Next, in a large bowl add the butter, sugar and salt. Whisk, gradually increasing the speed, until pale and creamy.
Now add the vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated.
Into the bowl add the eggs and sift in the flour, baking powder and ground ginger. Then mix together until just combined. Over mixing can result in a tough, not light and airy, cupcake.
Spoon the cake batter into the cupcake cases, taking care to ensure that they are evenly filled.
Place the tin into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Once baked each cupcake will spring back from a light touch. The cupcakes will be soft and fairly pale, this is because they have been cooked at a low heat to ensure a flat top.
As soon as the cupcakes are baked from the oven. Carefully take each cupcake out of the tin and place on a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before icing.

Making the frosting and decorating the cupcakes:

So, to make the icing; place the softened butter into a large bowl and sift the icing sugar on top of it. Next add 2 tablespoons of very hot water from a recently boiled kettle. Whisk, starting on a very slow speed and gradually increasing to a high speed. Continue until the icing is very light and creamy.
Fit an icing bag with a Wilton round piping tip #12, or use a large disposable piping bag. Fill the bag with the whipped, gingerbread frosting. If using a disposable bag without a tip, snip off the end to leave a 7mm diameter hole – approximately.
Check the cupcakes to ensure they are completely cooled, then begin piping the frosting. Keeping an even pressure on the bag pipe a double swirl. One on top of the other, pressing down in the centre before pulling away at the end.
Continue piping until all of the cupcakes are frosted.
Place a gingerbread man or woman in the centre of the frosting.
Finally, finish by sprinkling each cupcake with a dusting of edible glitter.

Store the cupcakes in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 4 days, however, you’ll be lucky if they last that long, unless you hide them 😉.

Individual spiced sponge cut through to show inner crumb. — Light and fluffy cupcake sponge.

Serve each cupcake with a smile.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes here are some other festive recipe you may like:

Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cookies

FF Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes — Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cookies

Sparkling Snowflake Cake

Cream Cheese Pastry Mince Pies

While it is nice enjoying the build up to Christmas Day, the excitement of children, unexpected guests, the hope of snow, it is also important to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

A baby boy, born of a virgin mother, Emmanuel – God with us. Jesus may not have been born on December 25th, yet that is the day we choose to remember His birth. So, amongst all of the hustle and bustle surrounding Christmas, it is important to remember why we celebrate it. Please see Important Stuff for more information.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchen, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

Note – this is not a sponsored post. I genuinely love Sugar and Crumbs products. No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.