Peppermint buttercream icing

I took this buttercream icing and modified it to go with my cinnamon mocha cakecones, and thought it was enough of a raving success I should share. Not my recipe, and apparently not Annie's, so many thanks to Cook’s Illustrated for this stroke of easy brilliance. (thx to kah for pointing me to annie's page :-)

As you can see, best served with red sprinkles and a maraschino cherry!

Easy Peppermint Buttercream
Ingredients:
20 tbsp. (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. peppermint
2 tbsp. heavy cream  

Directions:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.  Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.  Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds.  Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds.  Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.  

Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated, April 2007