Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Dessert… if you know me you know it’s one of my favorite topics. Yes, I love to share what meals I’m currently making but dessert is just so much more fun to talk about. It also happens to be the day 23 topic of the January Blog A Day challenge! Right up my ally!

Okay, so yes, I know that Christmas was almost a month ago now but I decided to share this recipe for Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes with you anyway! They are just that scrumptious. 

I made these lovelies for my churches Christmas dinner. These cupcakes, which are a play on the yummy holiday drink from Starbucks, had been calling my name. And I thought this was the perfect excuse to make them. So I spent a couple hours in my kitchen the night before mixing batter, melting chocolate, and piping on luscious peppermint buttercream. I tasted the finished product and was so crazy happy with the outcome. A slice of heaven in a cupcake, let me tell you!

The next day at the dinner, I set out a dozen of these peppermint babies on the dessert table… and not one person even touches them. Nope. Nobody. Nobody ate even a one! Granted there were other desserts there… most of which were store bought… all of which were gobbled up. So I’m like, either I’m crazy or they are, ha!

So what if I slaved away to make these yummy cupcakes for all to eat and hopefully enjoy. It’s no big deal… live and let live I say! To each their own, right? I mean if you’d rather have store bought pie than homemade Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes… I may not understand you, I may think you’re slightly insane but I can… tolerate you. You know, who am I to judge?

Anyway, I took half home and gave the other half to family… family who raved about them, by the way! So there! ;) But really if you love the chocolate, coffee, and peppermint combo you’ll love these cupcakes. Who cares if it’s after Christmas, be a rebel and make ‘em anyway. Go ahead, I fully support your rebellion! :D

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes -

(Recipe adapted from bakersroyale.com & iheartnaptime.net)

Theses cupcakes are decadent but not overly sweet. I actually combined two different recipes to make them. The original recipe called for Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream. And while I think Swiss Meringue buttercream is hands down the best frosting ever I’ve yet to work up the courage to try and make it. It seems complicated and I also didn’t have the amount of butter and eggs it called for. So I looked up a recipe for regular peppermint buttercream and was so happy with how it turned out! It was delish and the perfect compliment to the cupcakes.

Moist chocolate cupcakes infused with coffee and bits of Andes Mint candies, fluffy peppermint buttercream frosting, chocolate drizzle, topped off with peppermint candy. I actually used chopped up peppermint Hershey Kisses, which made the perfect topping. Hope you give ‘em a try! :)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes -

1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

1 tablespoon instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)

1/2 cup hot coffee

3/4 cup chopped peppermint Andes

Fluffy Peppermint Buttercream Frosting -

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. peppermint

Chocolate Pouring Sauce -

2/3 cups dark chocolate

2 tablespoons heavy cream

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

4-5 tablespoons water, warm

Directions:

Cupcakes -

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine.

Add in the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Add half of the coffee into the mixture and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add remaining coffee. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth.

Fold in chopped Andes. The batter will be thin enough to pour. Divide it evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Fluffy Peppermint Buttercream Frosting -

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy about 6 – 8 minutes, occasionally scrapping down sides of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and peppermint extract then mix on low speed until combine, then increase mixer to medium-high speed and beat until very light and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce -

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

To Assemble Cupcake -

Frost cooled cupcakes with buttercream frosting. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pouring sauce over frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Sprinkle chopped peppermint Andes on chocolate sauce. Finish with a peppermint candy on top.