Red Velvet Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
I love diet soda cupcakes (we call it pop in Buffalo, but soda sounded better here – just clarifying). They’re super easy to make, there are endless variations to try and no one can ever tell they’re lighter than normal. We have a potluck holiday luncheon at my office every year and this year I was asked to bring a dessert. I wanted to do something festive and after days of everyone lamenting over binging on sugary, fattening treats I thought I should bring at least one dessert no one would feel guilty eating. The fluffy red cupcakes with white peppermint frosting and the sprinkle of candy cane pieces were perfect to get everyone in the holiday spirit. I especially loved the peppermint cream cheese frosting. When the cupcakes were frosted I definitely licked the beaters clean – I could have eaten the whole bowl of it with a spoon! These Red Velvet Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting would be perfect to bring to any holiday gathering or for anytime, really. Happy Holidays!
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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 box of red velvet cake mix , (I used Duncan Hines)
- 1 can of diet soda, I used Diet Pepsi
- 2 egg whites
- 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 full sized candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven per directions on cake mix box.
- Line cupcake pan(s) with 24 cupcake liners or use cooking spray to lightly coat 24 spots.
- Combine the cake mix, soda and egg whites in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture evenly into cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake according to directions on cake mix box. Let cool completely.
- In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and the sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and then use to frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with crushed candy cane pieces.
Notes
4 per cupcakes (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Those cupcakes look amazing! I’ve been wanting to make cupcakes with pop, and my husband loves red velvet. I’ve bookmarked this recipe to make after the holidays. I’m sure everyone in the office will love yours!
I love seeing how much your photography has improved since starting your blog. I’ve been a long time follower and your pictures are looking better and better! 🙂
Thank you so much, that means a lot to me! I’m still taking all my photos on my trust Droid Incredible phone, but it’s amazing what better lighting and staging can do. 🙂
I made these over the weekend for a party and they were hands down the best cupcakes ever! Kudos to you because ALL the teens at my house loved these. Thanks for such a great recipe. I will be sharing this!
Thank Jelly, I’m so glad they were a hit!
DELICIOUS!! Thanks for such great ideas! 🙂
Happy you liked them!
Oh my goodness these are the BEST! Took them to a party and so many people asked for the recipe and said “no way those are only 140 calories…”
Absolutely the best red velvet and icing (I almost died over my love for the icing) recipe I’ve ever used – no comparison!
THANK YOU! 🙂
Can’t believe how excited we are about these cupcakes! Perfect for the holiday season too.
A friend madr these last year and I couldn’t wait to try my own batch this year!!! This are literally SIMPLY AMAZING!!
Do you think the frosting would still be good if I omit the peppermint extract? Not sure everyone would like peppermint frosting…
Definitely! I make vanilla cream cheese frosting instead of peppermint all the time.
I’d love to make only 1 to 2 cupcakes at a time…. do you know if there’s a way to modify this recipe to make them into “mug cakes”? (so I can just make them in the microwave)
A M A Z I N G!! two things, the nutritional facts are per cupcake? and the other thing.. what do you mean with the WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PLUS?