Whip up the cutest Minnie Mouse inspired Peppermint Pinwheel Cupcakes for a delectable sweet treat everyone will love!

These easy to make vanilla cupcakes with scratch made peppermint frosting and fondant ears are SO good! You’ll love these Peppermint Pinwheel Minnie Mouse inspired cupcakes to whip up for your next treat. Perfect for easy desserts or afternoon snacks, these Peppermint Pinwheel Cupcakes are sure to be a hit!

How to make the Minnie Mouse Peppermint Pinwheel Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a cinch to whip up! Want to know why? You’re using boxed mix! While you’ll be making the peppermint frosting and pinwheels from scratch, you’re taking a little shortcut on the cupcakes. Trust me, they’ll be delicious! Using whole milk and butter takes the boxed cake mix from bleh to amazing. You’ll love how moist and dense these cupcakes are, perfect for the thick peppermint frosting.

How to make the frosting

Using a standing mixer makes this so much easier! If you don’t have one, that’s not a big deal. Just use a hand mixer to combine the butter, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, peppermint and mix on medium speed until smooth and fully mixed. You don’t want it to be too liquidy or else it won’t hold the shape and support the pinwheels and crushed peppermints, so it needs to be a thick frosting. Once it’s done, scoop the frosting into the piping bag so you can decorate your cooled cupcakes.

How to make the Pinwheels

The pinwheels are so fun to make! You’re just using rolled out fondant that you’re cutting and coloring on. Edible art for the win! Sprinkle some powder sugar onto a cutting board. Roll out the white fondant into 1/4 inch thickness and cut out 48 circles of the white fondant for the ears and set aside to dry out overnight. You don’t want the fondant to be moist or sticky, so make sure you can keep the circles in a safe, dry place. You’re going to work on the bow mold after this, leaving out the bow pieces overnight to dry as well. The next day, you’re going to use the the red edible marker, and draw out the lines of a peppermint candy. Have fun coloring in the the lines of the candy to make the circles appear like a peppermint candy!

Grab the bow mold here to make these adorable bow toppers. Grab the Wilton circle cutter here to make the peppermint pieces.

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You’re going to love these Peppermint Pinwheel Cupcakes! They’re a fun treat, perfect for winter birthdays or just because. I mean really, who can say no to a cupcake?!

Peppermint Cupcakes

Easy to make and fun to eat, these Minnie Mouse inspired cupcakes are a treat for everyone!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 22

Equipment

• Mini Circle Fondant Cutter
• Christmas Cupcake Liners
• Cupcake Pan
• Stand Mixer
• 1 Large Piping Bag with Star Tip
• 1 Wilton Fondant Bow Mold

Ingredients

  

Fondant Ears and Bow

• 1 package white fondant
• 1 package green fondant
• 1 package edible markers *make sure there's a red one!

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix
• 3 large eggs room temp
• 1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter softened
• 1 cup whole milk

Peppermint Frosting

• 1 1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter softened
• 4 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 5-7 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 container Wilton Candy Cane Sprinkles
• 2 containers Crushed Peppermint Candy

Instructions

 

Fondant Ears and Bow

• Sprinkle some powder sugar onto a cutting board.

  Roll out the white fondant into 1/4 inch thickness and cut out 48 circles of the white fondant for the ears and set aside to dry out overnight.

  Powder your hands with powder sugar and mold the green fondant into a ball.

  Pinch off 1 teaspoon size ball of fondant and press it into the largerbow size mold.

  Make 22 bows then set aside to dry out overnight.

  Next Day: Using the red edible marker, draw out the lines of a peppermint candy.

  Color in the the lines of the candy to make the circles appear like a peppermint candy.

Vanilla Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a cupcake pan with the cupcake liners.

  In a medium bowl, beat the cake mix, eggs, butter and milk until smooth and combined.

  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full.

  Bake in the oven for about 21 minutes. (Test for doneness as bake times will vary)

  Pull out the cupcakes and allow to cool before frosting.

Peppermint Frosting

• Using a standing mixer combine the butter, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, peppermint and mix on medium speed until combined andsmooth.

  Scoop the frosting into the piping bag.

  Mix the peppermint candy and candy cane sprinkles in a medium bowl.

How to Decorate

• Using the piping bag, pipe a thick wall of frosting around the edge of the cupcakes.

  Coat the frosting in the candy cane sprinkle mixture.

  Pipe a dollop of frosting into the middle.

  Carefully place a green bow in the center of the frosting.

  Carefully place two peppermint pinwheel “ears” on the sides of the bow.

  Enjoy!