Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes Recipe
Embrace the holiday season with these festive chocolate peppermint cupcakes. They're topped with ganache, peppermint buttercream and crushed candy cane.
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Calories: 518kcal
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil OR canola oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz bittersweet chocolate melted
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted*
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream OR buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp expresso powder
For the Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For the Peppermint Frosting
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- pinch salt
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp heavy cream
- red gel food coloring
- 1/4 cup candy cane crushed
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard size cupcake pans with 18 liners, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, sugars, vanilla extract and melted chocolate until smooth. With mixing speed on low, add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sifted cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients along with the sour cream (or buttermilk) and the warm water/espresso mixture. Mix just until combined. Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes.
- Divide batter evenly among cups, filling ⅔ of the way full (I like to use a large scoop, a #20). Place in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake! Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Ganache
- In a 2 c. glass measuring cup, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave on half powder (mine is usually power 10, so I did 5) for one minute, stir, then repeat. Stir chocolate until all of the chips are melted and it becomes smooth. Beat for 1 minute and then spoon over the cupcakes.
For the Peppermint Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter until smooth, about 1 minute. With mixing speed on low, add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, salt, and powdered sugar. The mixture will look clumpy, that's ok. Add the heavy cream and gradually increase mixing speed to high. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Remove and place into a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip, swirled with red gel food coloring (just take a tooth pick and swirl it all around inside the bag, it'll look like a mess but it works), pipe onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane.
Notes
-Feel free to use your favorite chocolate boxed mix for the base of this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 18serving | Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 639IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg