These are a delicious Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Icing.
Every holiday should have their own cupcake. Or every cupcake should have their own holiday. Cupcakes are just so darned cute, and they seem to make people happy. These Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Icing are perfectly festive for the holidays, and people are likely going to be quite happy with how they taste!
Ingredients Needed:
- light brown sugar
- butter
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder, baking soda and salt
- low fat buttermilk
- powdered sugar
- tub-style cream cheese
- peppermint extract
- candy canes or peppermint candy
How to make Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Icing:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
PREPARE THE CUPCAKES:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the brown sugar and butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center (and inserted toothpick comes out clean). Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. If the cupcake tops have overflowed onto the cupcake pan, run a knife around the tops and gently twist each cupcake to loosen it from sticking to the pan. Remove the cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
PREPARE THE ICING:
In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese and peppermint extract. Stir until smooth. If it seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. Spread the icing on the cupcakes and sprinkle with candy cane pieces.
Recipe Tip
Be sure to use peppermint extract in this recipe and not spearmint extract. I made that mistake once and my dessert ended up tasting like toothpaste. So don’t do that!
About Candy Canes:
Crushed candy canes (or whole, mini candy canes) are the perfect complement for the peppermint icing. They add a little festive color to the cupcakes too. Crushed mint candy can be used too. Use green candy canes or green mint candy for additional holiday cheer.
Idea!
Pick up some Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses and place a kiss on top instead. This is a good option if you still want something pretty but you don’t like to have the crunch of candy canes on your dessert.
This is such a simple, portioned-out dessert for the holiday season. The recipe makes 12 cupcakes, so you won’t have a lot left over. Enjoy!
Favorite cupcake recipes:
PREPARE THE CUPCAKES:
-
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the brown sugar and butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
-
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center (and inserted toothpick comes out clean). Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. If the cupcake tops have overflowed onto the cupcake pan, run a knife around the tops and gently twist each cupcake to loosen it from sticking to the pan. Remove the cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
PREPARE THE ICING:
-
In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese and peppermint extract. Stir until smooth. If it seems too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. Spread the icing on the cupcakes and sprinkle with candy cane pieces.
Serving: 1cupcake, Calories: 290kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 268mg, Potassium: 178mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 279IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.