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Every Spring you will find events for Relay For Life popping up around the country.  My husband and his coworkers work very hard to raise money for the cause.  Then when the time comes, they get together at the event and share a meal and remember those who lost their lives to cancer and cheer for those who are battling it.

For this year’s event, I made some peppermint cupcakes starting with a box of devils’ food cake mix.  All I had to do was follow the instructions on the box, plus add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint oil.  I let the cupcakes cool and then I made a batch and a half of my favorite frosting to top them.

I have this thing about my homemade buttercream icing.  I am not sure what it is – perhaps the simplicity of the recipe is what gets me.  Or perhaps it is the smooth, creamy, and sweet taste.  It doesn’t matter!  I just love it and like to use it on pretty much every cupcake I make.

Peppermint Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme cake mix, Devil's Food flavor
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil
• Buttercream Icing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare cake mix according to directions on box, adding 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint oil.
3. Spoon into muffin tin that has been lined with cupcake liners.
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool completely before decorating with buttercream icing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 215 Total Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 36mg Sodium: 253mg Carbohydrates: 28g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 15g Protein: 2g

Nutrition information is an approximation and does not include buttercream icing.

Facts About Cancer From the World Health Organization

1. There are more than 100 types of cancer.  Any part of the body can be affected.
2. In 2008, 13% of all deaths (7.6 million people) worldwide were the result of cancer.
3. About 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
4. The 5 most common types of cancer that kill men are: lung, stomach, liver, colorectal and oesophagus.
5. The 5 most common types of cancer that kill women are: breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.
6. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world.  22% of cancer deaths are related to tobacco usage.
7. One fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused by a chronic infection, for example human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver cancer.
8. Cancers of major public health relevance such as breast, cervical and colorectal cancer can be cured if detected early and treated adequately.
9. All patients in need of pain relief could be helped if current knowledge about pain control and palliative care were applied.

What Can You Do

Let’s take a look at Fact #10 according to WHO:  More than 30% of cancer could be prevented, mainly by not using tobacco, having a healthy diet, being physically active and moderating the use of alcohol. In developing countries up to 20% of cancer deaths could be prevented by immunization against the infection of HBV and HPV.

Remember, all things in moderation, even cupcakes.