Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream

Name: Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients: CUPCAKES; 2 1/2 c flour; 2 c sugar; 1 c cocoa powder; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 3 eggs; 1 packet hot chocolate mixed with 3/4 cup warm milk; 3/4 c vegetable oil; 1 tsp vanilla; PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAM; 3 stick unsalted butter, softened; 6 c powdered sugar; 1/4-1/2 c milk; 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract; OPTIONAL GARNISH; peppermint bark (homemade or bought) broken into pieces

By Jenni K
@AnCsMom

Around Christmas, I've often put a candy cane into a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Why not indulge in the same treat in cupcake form?

Lauren's recipe from the blog "Crave. Indulge. Satisfy."

Rating:

★★★★☆ 3 votes4

Comments:

11 Comments

Serves:

20 cupcakes

Prep:

10 Min

Cook:

15 Min

Ingredients

CUPCAKES
2 1/2 c

flour
2 c

sugar
1 c

cocoa powder
2 tsp

baking powder
1 tsp

baking soda
1 tsp

salt
3

eggs
1

packet hot chocolate mixed with 3/4 cup warm milk
3/4 c

vegetable oil
1 tsp

vanilla
PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAM
3 stick

unsalted butter, softened
6 c

powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 c

milk
1 1/2 tsp

peppermint extract
OPTIONAL GARNISH
·

peppermint bark (homemade or bought) broken into pieces
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How to Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream

Step-by-Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In bowl of stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer) combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients: eggs, hot chocolate/milk mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Peppermint Buttercream and garnish with Peppermint Bark (if desired).
FOR BUTTERCREAM: In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add milk until you reach desired consistency. Add peppermint extract and mix well.

If desired, place icing in piping bag fitted with a large round tip and frost cupcakes, or just frost as desired. You can also use a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off if you don't have a piping bag.