Description
Delight in these rich and festive Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes featuring moist chocolate cake infused with peppermint extract and topped with a luscious peppermint buttercream frosting. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any time you crave a holiday-inspired treat.
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 Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix 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, egg, egg yolk, and peppermint extract until fully combined.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl and mix on low speed for a few seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Continue mixing a few seconds longer until fully combined but batter remains slightly lumpy; this is normal.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. You will have enough batter for 12 cupcakes.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven 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. Carefully transfer cupcakes to the wire rack and cool completely.
- Prepare Peppermint Buttercream Frosting: In the stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, 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 incorporated.
- Color Frosting: Divide frosting in half. Add red gel food coloring to one half and beat until vibrant red. Transfer both colored and white frosting into separate piping bags.
- Assemble Piping Bags: Place both piping bags into a third larger piping bag fitted with a star tip. Cut the tips off the inner bags and pull them through the outer tip. Pipe a swirl in a bowl first to blend colors before frosting cupcakes.
- Frost and Decorate: Pipe swirls of frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Finish by sprinkling peppermint baking chunks and placing mini candy canes on top for decoration.
Notes
- Measure dry ingredients carefully using the spoon-level method or a kitchen scale for best results.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- If you don’t have a triple piping bag setup, alternate spoonfuls of red and white frosting in one piping bag to achieve a swirled effect.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning out the frosting and to maintain vibrant color.
- For make-ahead convenience, bake cupcakes a day in advance and store unfrosted. Frost just before serving to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
