Description
Delight in these festive Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes, featuring rich chocolate cake infused with peppermint extract and topped with a creamy peppermint buttercream frosting. Perfectly moist and decadently flavored, these cupcakes bring holiday cheer to any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the 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
For the 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: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Mix on low speed until well blended.
- Add butter: Add the cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture and mix on low speed for about 3 minutes until the texture resembles coarse sand.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, whole milk, vegetable oil, room temperature coffee or hot water, large egg, egg yolk, and peppermint extract until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Mix on low speed for a few seconds, then scrape down the bowl. Continue mixing until fully combined. The batter may appear lumpy and not completely smooth — this is normal.
- Fill cupcake liners: Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. This batter will make 12 cupcakes.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Cool completely: Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on the wire rack before frosting.
- Make frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while mixing on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add cream and peppermint: Add the heavy cream and peppermint extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Divide and color frosting: Scoop half of the frosting into a large piping bag and set aside. Add red gel food coloring to the remaining frosting and beat until it's a vibrant candy cane red. Transfer this red frosting into a second piping bag.
- Prepare dual-color piping: Place the two frosting bags inside a third large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Cut the tips off the inner bags and pull them through the piping tip. Practice piping swirls onto a bowl to blend the colors.
- Decorate: Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with peppermint baking chunks and mini candy canes as garnish.
Notes
- Measure dry ingredients properly using the spoon-level method or a kitchen scale to ensure accuracy and better baking results.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
- If you don't have a triple piping bag setup, alternate spoonfuls of red and white frosting in a single piping bag to create a swirled effect.
- Use gel food coloring to achieve vibrant red frosting colors without thinning the buttercream.
- For best results, bake cupcakes a day ahead and store unfrosted. Frost just before serving to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
