Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
These moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with Nutella and frosted with Nutella buttercream! These cupcakes are perfect for brithday parties, celebrations or for any Nutella lovers!
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Calories: 512kcal
Equipment
- 2 12 cup cupcake pans
- Stand Mixer
- Handheld Mixer
- Bowls
- 2 Medium Piping Bags
- 1 Large Piping Bag
- 1 Large Round Tip
- Measuring Spoons
- Kitchen Scale
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder dutch processed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup hot water
Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- red food gel
Magic Shell
- 12 oz dark chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Instructions
Make cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in your muffin tray. This recipe makes about 16-18 cupcakes, so you will need to make these in two batches.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup granulated sugar
- In a large jug, whisk together the eggs, oil, peppermint extract, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.2 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream, ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Whisk hot water with the espresso powder in a mug or small bowl.1 teaspoon espresso powder, ½ cup hot water
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour, stirring until it is just about smooth - we don't want to over mix the batter! Then stir in the hot coffee.
- Fill the cupcake liners just over halfway and bake for 14-16 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes in the tray, then take them out and place on a cooling rack. Bake one cupcake pan at a time.
Make Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until well combined.2 sticks unsalted butter, 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a 2 minutes until it becomes very thick.
- Stop the mixer and add the salt, vanilla, and peppermint extract into the bowl. Beat on medium-high speed for another 2 minutes.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Turn the mixer to your lowest speed and pour in the heavy cream. Beat until it becomes very creamy and spreadable.¼ cup heavy cream
- Divide the frosting evenly. Take half of it out into a medium piping bag. Leave the other half in the mixing bowl and mix with your red food gel until you have your desired shade. Place in the other medium piping bag.red food gel
- Snip the ends off of both piping bags (if they're plastic ones!) and place into your large piping bag, fitted with a large round tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the freezer (I like placing them on a baking sheet or in a large container) for 20-30 minutes.
Make Magic Shell
- In a microwave-safe jug or mug, melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil. I microwave in 15-second increments, mixing after each increment so the chocolate doesn't burn.12 oz dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Once melted, set aside to cool briefly.
- Take the cupcakes out of the freezer. Dip them into the melted chocolate, frosting side down, so the frosting gets completely dipped into the chocolate. Lift it out and let any excess drip off. The magic shell topping should set within a few minutes.
Notes
My recipes have been developed and tested in metric grams. I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. I have provided a conversion to US cups but please note that I haven't tested the recipe with this method.
Ingredients: I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients before you start baking.
Butter: I use European style butter in my recipes. This will make your frosting much creamier and richer.
Salt: If you don't have kosher salt, halve the amount of salt called for in the recipe. 1 teaspoon kosher salt = ½ teaspoon fine salt. Please note, I'm using Diamond Crystal kosher salt and not Morton salt which is too salty!
Cocoa Powder: I'm using dutch processed cocoa powder (not sure what you have? Check the ingredients. If it says 'acidity regulator' or mentions 'alkali', then it's dutch processed).
Peppermint Extract: make sure you're using peppermint extract and not mint extract, which is just going to taste like toothpaste.
Food Gel: my favorite brand of food dye is Americolor! I usually use the shade 'super red'
Storage: Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
Nutrition
Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 494IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3mg
