Description
Delight in these festive Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes featuring rich, moist chocolate cake enhanced with a refreshing peppermint twist, topped with a swirled peppermint buttercream frosting and garnished with peppermint chunks and candy canes—perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached cake flour
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup room temperature coffee or hot water
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring
- Peppermint baking chunks and candy canes for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cake flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Use the paddle attachment to mix in the cubed butter on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 3 minutes.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vegetable oil, coffee or hot water, egg, egg yolk, and peppermint extract until fully blended.
- Incorporate wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for a few seconds, then scrape down the bowl. Continue mixing for a few more seconds until fully combined without streaks; batter will appear slightly lumpy.
- Fill cupcake liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full, yielding 12 cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes: Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Cool completely: After initial cooling, remove cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely directly on the wire rack.
- Make frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, beat the unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add heavy cream and peppermint extract, and mix until fully combined.
- Prepare frosting colors: Divide the frosting into two portions. Set aside half in one piping bag. Add red gel food coloring to the remaining frosting and beat until a vibrant red. Transfer red frosting to a second piping bag.
- Assemble multi-color piping bag: Place both piping bags into a larger piping bag fitted with a star tip. Cut the tips off the inner bags and pull through the star tip. Practice piping swirls to blend the colors before decorating.
- Pipe frosting and decorate: Pipe swirls of the peppermint buttercream onto cooled cupcakes, then garnish with peppermint baking chunks and mini candy canes.
Notes
- Measure dry ingredients accurately using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale for best results, avoiding packing the flour.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to keep fresh.
- For a swirled frosting effect without a triple piping bag, alternate spoonfuls of red and white frosting into a single piping bag before piping.
- Use gel food coloring to maintain frosting consistency and achieve vibrant red color.
- To prepare ahead, bake cupcakes a day before, store unfrosted, and frost just before serving for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
