Description
Festive and delicious cupcakes with a chocolate and peppermint flavor, topped with a swirl of frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Red food coloring
- Crushed peppermint candies for garnish
- Peppermint bark pieces (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined. Carefully stir in boiling water until the batter is smooth and thin. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the peppermint extract and heavy cream. Divide the frosting into two bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl to achieve the desired shade of pink. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip, and fill one side with the white frosting and the other with the pink frosting to create a swirl effect.
- Decorate the Cupcakes: Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes in a swirl pattern. Garnish with crushed peppermint candies and optional peppermint bark pieces.
Notes
- For a more intense peppermint flavor, increase the peppermint extract slightly, but do so cautiously as it can be quite potent.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by mixing 1/2 cup of milk with 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- For a cleaner swirl effect, practice piping on a piece of parchment paper before decorating the cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg