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This Peppermint Candy Cane Homemade Buttercream Frosting is perfect for the holidays! It’s buttercream frosting at its finest – mint lovers look no further!

Homemade Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream frosting is so simple to make and goes perfectly with cupcakes, cakes, graham crackers and even just right on a spoon!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Why is buttercream icing so good? I am in love with this peppermint crunch frosting. It is good enough to eat right from a spoon or use it to frost your favorite baked goods. It’s really good with graham crackers too! Break out some butter and be prepared to fall in love with this recipe!

Try my Chocolate Marshmallow Peppermint Bars too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make candy cane buttercream frosting at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details.

butter– For most of my recipes I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works just fine too.
powdered sugar– Also called confectioners sugar, this is the fine sugar that sweetens and helps form the frosting.
peppermint extract– Find the peppermint extract near the vanilla and other extracts down the baking isle.
candy cane pieces– During the holidays, you can sometimes find bags of candy cane pieces near the chocolate chips section. Amazon sells little bags too.

How to Make The Homemade Buttercream Frosting

Cream Butter. Place butter into stand mixer and beat until well combined.
Add Powdered Sugar and Peppermint. Slowly add powdered sugar, peppermint and candy cane pieces. Beat until combined, but be cautious to not over mix.
Store in Airtight Container. Remove and store in an airtight container for up to 7-10 days. If you refrigerate, thaw to room temperature before using.
Frost. Use frosting for your favorite cakes, cupcakes and cookies….and crackers…and with a spoon. Makes Enough frosting for 12 cupcakes or a 9 inch cake.

candy cane pieces mixed into homemade buttercream frosting

I cannot say enough about this bag of crushed candy canes. It’s made for baking, so it doesn’t get all melty and sticky. I found it at World Market…$2.99. I need to go grab another bag, it’s awesome. Add 1/4 cup crushed candy canes to the frosting, beating to combine.

What’s The Difference Between Buttercream and Traditional Frosting?

Both buttercream and frosting are made with powdered sugar, fat, flavoring and sometimes milk or water. The difference is the type of fat they use.

Frosting is usually made with shortening or cream cheese. That’s why frosting is a good option if you want a bright white cake — buttercream often has a yellowish tint. However, shortening-based frostings can have a slight chemical taste. This is because unlike butter, shortening has no flavor, making it easier to taste any artificial flavorings from colorings or other additives.

Buttercream is a butter-based frosting. Butter gives the icing a richer and creamier taste, and it can also cut down on the sweetness. For silky smooth buttercream, make sure your butter is at room temperature. Chilled butter is tricky to cream.

How To Serve

Serve frosting over your favorite cupcakes, cake or even use as a dip for graham crackers and chocolates!

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftover frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Try More Easy Frosting Recipes

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