If there is one flavour combo to me that screams winter it’s chocolate and peppermint, it’s one of my favourite hot chocolate drinks and I wanted to recreate it in a cupcake. And because it’s coming up to Christmas I decorated them with broken up candy canes for a little more peppermint flavour and for a slightly more festive look. So grab the ingredients because you will not be able to resist these delicious candy cane chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting.
Chocolate
The base of this gorgeous little treat is a moist chocolate cupcake that is packed full of chocolate with each bite. The chocolate comes from a good dose of good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, I use 80 grams (3/4 cup) in this recipe and it gives them the perfect chocolate flavour.
I also use sour cream to keep these babies moist and fluffy, there is nothing worse than a dry heavy chocolate cupcake.
Peppermint
You get a double hit of peppermint in these cupcakes and its just the perfect amount. First you have a hint of it in the chocolate cupcake. I replaced the vanilla extract in the batter with peppermint extract instead.
What you get is a lovely pepperminty after taste through the intense chocolate flavour… heavenly 😀
Then on top is a generous swirl of super creamy peppermint frosting, the thing I love about this frosting is that its not overly sweet and sickly. I personally hate frosting that is so sweet it makes your teeth ache! This frosting is perfect not to sweet just perfect 😉 and the little bit of cream added to it makes it so rich and smooth.
I found the perfect amount of peppermint extract to add was 3 teaspoons. But start with a small amount then add a tiny touch more and taste before adding more. There is a fine line between peppermint frosting and toothpaste! Peppermint extract is strong and a little goes a long way.
Candy Canes
For a little festive decoration I have crushed a few candy canes and sprinkled them on top, as an added bonus they too are peppermint flavour.
The candy canes are optional but recommended at this festive time 😀 So rush off to your kitchen and whip a batch of these up I promise you won’t regret it and your friends and family will love them 😀
candy cane chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 80 grams good quality cocoa powder ((3/4 cup))
- 110 grams plain flour (all purpose, (3/4 cup))
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 170 grams unsalted butter - at room temperature ((1 and 1/2 sticks))
- 230 grams granulated sugar ((1 cup))
- 3 large eggs - at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 120 millilitres sour cream ((1/2 cup))
For The Frosting
- 225 grams unsalted butter - at room temperature ((2 sticks))
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 520 grams Icing sugar (Confectioners sugar - sieved, (4 cups))
- 3 tablespoons double / heavy cream
- 3 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 4 to 5 candy canes broken up into small pieces
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Pre heat your oven to 180C / 350F / Gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole cupcake / muffin pan with liners.
- Sieve the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium sized bowl then place to one side.
- Cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Then add the sugar and beat until it is well incorporated together.
- Add the eggs one at a time beating in-between each addition until they are well mixed in.
- Add in the peppermint extract and mix.
- Add in half the flour mix and very gently mix your batter.
- Then add in your sour cream, again mix very gently then add in the remaining flour mix. And gently mix until everything is well mixed together.
- Scoop the batter into your prepared muffin pan. I like to use an ice cream scoop to keep all my cakes an even size.
- Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Check them at the 20 minute stage. You are looking for them to be firm to the touch and a sewer to come out clean after its inserted.
- Take your cupcakes out of the oven and leave them in your muffin pan for 5 minutes then take them out and allow them to fully cool down on a wire rack.
For the frosting
- Beat your butter until it is very pale in colour, this can take anything up to 5 minutes in a stand mixer on a medium speed.
- Add in the salt and mix for another minute.
- Add in half of the icing sugar and mix until well combined.
- Add in the double cream and peppermint extract and mix in till well combined.
- Add in the remaining icing sugar and beat well until you have a smooth, pale creamy frosting.
- Pipe a generous swirl of frosting on to each cupcake.
- Pop your candy canes in a plastic food bag and bash them with a rolling pin until they are all in small bits. Then sprinkle the bits all over the cupcakes.
- Kept in an airtight tin in cool conditions these cupcakes will keep for up to 5 days.
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My father-in-law asked for more cupcakes today – I’m going to make these for him and all the other oldies. 🙂
Hi Maureen, they will love these cupcakes 😀
I love chocolate and peppermint especially during this time of year! These cupcakes look so festive and pretty!
Hi Kelly, thank you it is a lovely festive flavour 🙂
What a spectacular holiday treat! My chocolate-mint loving children would make this batch disappear in an instant!
Hi Liz, they didn’t last long in my house either 😀
God I love your blog, Look at this! Ugh, perfection. Love Candy canes, love cupcakes. Love Christmas.
Hi Emma, thank you 😀 I love Christmas too! Its a good excuse to eat loads of cake and chocolate with no one looking badly at you!
I love me some cupcakes.. but holiday ones, even better! These would be great to bring to a holiday party!
Hi Pamela, thank you holiday cupcakes are the best 🙂
Chocolate peppermint is my favorite holiday flavor as well! Anyone would be drooling over these pretty peppermint-topped cupcakes!!
Hi Brianna, thank you. There is something so good about chocolate and peppermint together!
o boy..ain’t these cupcakes beautiful and festive! Excellent, Emma.
Hi Angie, thank you so much 😀