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5.0 from 30 votes

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

The perfect holiday treat! These are deliciously chocolatey and you'll love the flavor pairing with peppermint.

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 recipe Milk Chocolate Ganache , recipe follows
  • 1 recipe Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting , recipe follows
  • ½ cup crushed peppermint candy canes
  • For the Milk Chocolate Ganache
  • 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 3 Tbsp heavy cream
For the Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 6 Tbsp salted butter , softened
  • 6 oz . cream cheese , softened
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp peppermint extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in vegetable oil, milk, egg, vanilla extract and peppermint extract and beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Stir in hot water, stir until well combined. Add in sour cream and mix until well blended. Fill paper lined muffin cups ¾ full and bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 17 – 19 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes in muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
  2. Once cupcakes are cool, spread about 1 teaspoon cooled milk chocolate ganache over each cupcake. Place cupcakes in a 13x9 inch baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill about 10 mintues while you make the peppermint cream cheese frosting.
  3. Pipe each chocolate ganache covered cupcake with peppermint cream cheese frosting and sprinkle cupcakes with crushed candy canes.
For the Milk Chocolate Ganache
  1. Combine milk chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave mixture on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Cool mixture in refrigerator for about 10 minutes (basically until it’s a spreadable not so drippy consistency).
For the Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extract. Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until well combined and fluffy.