Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Delightful cupcakes blending rich chocolate flavor with a refreshing hint of peppermint, topped with creamy frosting and festive candy canes.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups sugar
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 units eggs Room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk Room temperature
- 0.5 cups vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Frosting
- 0.5 cups butter Room temperature
- 6 oz cream cheese Room temperature
- 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream Adjust for consistency
For Decoration
- to taste crushed candy canes For topping
- to taste red gel food coloring For decoration
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for about one minute.
- Carefully stir in boiling water until fully combined.
Baking
- Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full with batter.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
Making Frosting
- In a bowl, blend room temperature butter until creamy, then add cream cheese and mix well.
- Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing at low speed, then increase to medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add peppermint and vanilla extract, and drizzle in heavy cream until desired consistency is achieved.
Decorating
- Use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes. For decoration, place two vertical lines of red gel food coloring inside the piping bag before filling it.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top for a festive touch.
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Notes
For the best results, use room temperature ingredients and avoid overmixing. Customize with variations like mint chocolate chips or different frosting flavors.