Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
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These Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are rich, and infused with peppermint extract, making the perfect holiday treat! The chocolatey, fluffy cupcakes create a festive flavor that’s sweetly refreshing.
Topped with a smooth chocolate ganache and fluffy peppermint cream cheese frosting, the Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are as delicious as they are beautiful. The frosting is piped in swirls of white and red, making these cupcakes a showstopper on any holiday dessert table. And don’t be intimidated by the idea of piping swirls – it’s as easy as it is fun – and I’ve laid out the entire recipe step-by-step.
Finished with a sprinkle of crushed starlight peppermints or candy canes, each bite is a perfect blend of creamy, chocolatey, and minty goodness. Whether for a party or just to enjoy at home, these cupcakes will quickly become a holiday favorite!
PrintChocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
These Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are a festive treat. A rich chocolate cake infused with peppermint and topped with smooth chocolate ganache and playful, fluffy peppermint cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes.
- Prep Time: 35
- Cook Time: 17
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
Cupcakes-
½ cup salted butter, room temperature *see note
2 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
¾ cup flour (95 g) (spoon and level)
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (55g) (such as Hershey’s Dark)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup sugar (100g)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar (50g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
½ cup buttermilk
Chocolate Ganache-
1/3 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting-
6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon red food coloring gel
Assembly-
3 piping bags
Piping tip (Wilton 1M, open star tip)
Crushed starlight peppermints or crushed candy canes for decoration
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with liners.
Melt the butter and baking chocolate together in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second increments just until smooth. Set aside to slightly cool.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract till light and fully combined.
Add the slightly cooled butter and chocolate mixture and mix till combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix till almost combined. Pour in the buttermilk and mix till just combined.
Divide batter evenly amongst 12 muffin liners and bake for about 15-19 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let totally cool on a wire rack till before frosting.
Melt the chocolate chips in the heavy cream in a small microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 20 second increments till melted and smooth.
Let the ganache sit in the fridge for 10 minutes so it’s easier to spread and less runny.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, spoon a bit of ganache on top of each cupcake.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment whip the cream cheese and butter together till light. Add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and powdered sugar and mix for at least 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
Remove half of the frosting to a different bowl.
Add the food coloring to the remaining frosting in the stand mixer bowl and mix until fully red. If you need more food coloring, add more.
Place each bowl of frosting in its own piping bag and cut off the tip so it has about a ¾ inch opening.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your counter about 12 inches wide.
Pipe strips of frosting onto the plastic wrap, vertically, alternating between colors. Leave about 2 inches at the top and bottom of plastic wrap without frosting. Layer the colors on top of each other and next to each other. Once your frosting is all piped, take one end of the plastic wrap and fold the frosting on to each other, trying to make it tube shaped. Now both ends of your plastic wrap should be touching each other. Roll the frosting into a log and twist the top end together making it closed.
Have a third piping bag ready with whatever large tip you want to use on the end. Cut off the non-twisted end just to where the frosting starts. Place the whole plastic wrap of frosting in the new piping bag squeeze the piping bag to get the frosting into the tip and pipe like you normally would pipe, making big swirls on top of the ganache on each cupcake, leaving some of the ganache showing.
Top with crushed starlight peppermints or crushed candy canes for garnish.
Notes
Step-by-step pictures and Frequently Asked Questions below recipe card.
If you use unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon more salt to the cupcake batter. If you use unsalted butter in the frosting, add a pinch of salt to the frosting.
This makes exactly 12 cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners nearly full. Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcakes. If you under fill them they won’t be as tall and domed.
You may have a small bit of frosting left but it’s necessary in order to make the swirls.
I like to make these in 2 days. I make the cupcakes one day and then the ganache and frosting the next day.
Save in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or at room temperature for 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions – Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Chocolate and peppermint are one of my favorite combinations! Yum!