Recipe: Peppermint Cup Cakes

Peppermint Cup Cakes might be delicious make with chocolate but since I am allergic to chocolate, this was better for me. I thought this brought out the peppermint flavoring very well too. Now, I would love to share with you the homemade version but it wouldn't be fair since the only way I like to make cakes of any kind is from a box. I can make them from scratch, however, I am so thankful for the boxed mixes...they are excellent.

Peppermint Cup Cakes

 ~ from the kitchen of Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

Prepare a white cake mix of your choice. The only difference I do in preparing the mix is that I replace the required oil for real butter. Then I add 1 t of real peppermint flavoring and 1/2 t real vanilla to the mix. Also, I save the egg yolks in the freezer for use at another time. So, prepare the cake mix & place the batter into cup cake sleeves & bake according to directions on the box.

Take fluffy canned frosting, add 1/8 t of real peppermint flavoring to the icing and mix well. Spread evenly onto the cup cakes. Take crushed soft peppermint (from Cracker Barrel store) and sprinkle over the cup cakes. Delic-eee-0000-soooo!!!!

Ethan baked the cup cakes for me and I frosted them as he was trimming the Christmas tree.

I do have a funny story about my first every white cake. I hadn't been married but a couple of years when I attempted my first white cake. I was careful to measure and add the right ingredients. Once my mixer began to beat the batter, the whole thing began jumping on the counter. I was afraid something had happened to my mixer. When I pour the batter from the mixing bowl, out fell a large lump. After spooning it out, I found a piece of metal that was the size of an American quarter but about 1/2" thick. I knew right away there was no way this could have come from my mixer.

I cooked the cake...yes, I figured any germs would have been backed away. NOW, I would NEVER do that. ;-) The cake was very good as I remember. However, I thought the company needed to know about this.

I wrote a letter, since there was no such things as e-mail at that time. I described in cute detail how I had made my first white cake only to discover a hidden treasure. I told them what the piece looked like and said I would be happy to mail it to them if they would like.

Time passed and I got a reply from the company with a letter saying, "We were pleased to receive your letter because of the humor and delight you shared with us. We have never, ever received such a letter as yours." They gave their apology and an explanation that it came from one of their powder beaters in their plant. They went on to say, "We hope that the enclosed gift will make up for this problem." Enclosed was a check for 5x what the box of cake mix cost me and at least 10 coupons for free boxes of cake mix.

Needless to say, I was thrilled. It proved to me those many years ago that if you handle situations with humor and kindness, you will be rewarded. God has been good to me throughout the 25 yrs following that situation because I am an others focused person and I always bring a since of laughter to the table.

Love and blessings,

RHC