Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
These chocolate peppermint cupcakes deliver pure holiday magic in every bite. Rich chocolate peppermint cake is topped with fluffy peppermint buttercream frosting, and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for the perfect festive crunch.
Put on your coziest pink bunny pajamas because these chocolate peppermint cupcakes are straight out of a dreamy holiday memory — without any triple-dog-dares.
Picture a fudgy peppermint-kissed cupcake piled high with fluffy peppermint frosting, then sprinkled with crushed candy canes and chocolate flakes worthy of a department-store window.
One bite and you’ll feel like you’re standing in the softly falling snow outside Higbee’s, wide-eyed and full of holiday wonder.
They’re sweet, nostalgic, and guaranteed to bring more joy than a brand-new Red Ryder BB gun.
If chocolate peppermint is your holiday personality, check out my chocolate peppermint cake, mini chocolate peppermint cheesecakes, and chocolate peppermint cookies.
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Step 1: Make the cupcake batter. Combine the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Step 2: Bake the cupcakes. Preheat the oven and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Pour the batter into the liners and bake the cupcakes.
Step 3: Make the frosting. Whip the butter. Add in the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla and peppermint extract, and salt. Mix the frosting until it is smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Assemble the cupcakes. Use a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip to frost the cupcakes with peppermint frosting. Sprinkle the cupcakes with crushed candy canes and decorate with a candy cane stick.
Courtney’s Expert Cupcake Baking Tips
- Use dark cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa powder for the deepest and richest chocolate flavor. The acidity in the cocoa also helps to activate the baking soda in the cupcake batter.
- The chocolate cupcake batter is thin, so use a liquid measuring cup to easily and neatly fill the cupcake liners.
- Use peppermint extract rather than regular mint or spearmint extract for this recipe.
- Wait to frost and decorate the cupcakes with the crushed candy canes until before serving. The candy canes can melt over time as they sit on the buttercream frosting.
- Check out my posts on tips for making the best cupcakes, best buttercream frosting, and my favorite cupcake baking supplies for even more helpful tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, you will want to use peppermint extract for the best peppermint flavor. Stay away from mint extract or spearmint extract as it will create a more cool mint flavor than a peppermint flavor.
The crushed candy canes can melt over time on the buttercream. I recommend decorating the cupcakes before serving to prevent the crushed candy canes from melting. You will also want to wait to add the candy cane stick to the cupcakes as well.
For this recipe, I placed the candy canes in a resealable storage bag and smashed them with the bottom of a saucepan. You can use a food processor if you prefer, but crushing them by hand allows you to have more control over the texture of the candy canes.
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Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (22 g) dark cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water
- ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
- ¼ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) peppermint extract
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) peppermint extract
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- ¼ cup (57 g) crushed candy canes
- 12 (12) candy cane sticks or mini candy canes
Instructions
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the semisweet chocolate chips, dark cocoa powder, and boiling water until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth (the batter will be thin).
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the liners.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add in the heavy cream, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix for several minutes to smooth out the buttercream.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the peppermint buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes. Decorate the cupcakes with crushed candy canes and candy cane sticks or mini candy canes.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Storage Note: The crushed candy canes will melt over time at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Frost and decorate the cupcakes before serving to ensure the crushed candy canes stay crunchy and do not melt into the frosting.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
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