Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Ditch the cookie tray — these chocolate peppermint cupcakes are the real holiday showstopper. Baked with Dutch cocoa and finished with peppermint-kissed frosting, they’re rich, festive, and made to impress.
Ingredients
For the Cupcake Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached cake flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 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
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F(180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use the paddle attachment to mix in the butter until it resembles coarse sand, about 3 minutes on low speed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, coffee, egg, egg yolk, and peppermint extract. Pour this mixture into the bowl and mix on low speed for a few seconds, then stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Continue mixing for a few seconds longer until completely combined and no streaks of flour remain. The batter won’t look completely smooth and will seem lumpy. That’s normal!
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter; each one will be roughly 3/4 full. You will have enough batter for 12 cupcakes.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Once baked, let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the hot pan and let them finish cooling directly on the rack.
Make the Peppermint Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the heavy cream and peppermint extract, then mix until fully combined.
- Scoop half of the frosting into a large piping bag and set aside. Add red food coloring to the remaining frosting and beat until it reaches a vibrant candy cane red. Transfer the red frosting to a second piping bag.
- Place both frosting bags into a third large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Cut the tips off the inner bags and pull them through the piping tip. Pipe a swirl or two into a bowl first to get the colors to blend before frosting the cupcakes.
- Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, then top with peppermint baking chips and mini candy canes.
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Never scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Storage: Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
If you don’t have a triple piping bag setup, you can alternate spoonfuls of red and white frosting into one piping bag to get a swirled effect.
Use gel food coloring for a vibrant red hue without thinning out the frosting.
To make ahead, bake cupcakes a day in advance and store unfrosted. Frost just before serving for the freshest results.
