Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cupcakes (Printable)

Moist chocolate cupcakes feature peppermint swirls and creamy peppermint frosting with crushed candy decorations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream

→ Peppermint Frosting

13 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
17 - Red gel food coloring (optional)

→ Decoration

18 - 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts.
04 - Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk and sour cream, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
06 - Use a toothpick to drag through each cupcake batter to form a marbled swirl effect.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
08 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract. Beat until fluffy.
09 - Add a few drops of red gel food coloring to the frosting and gently swirl with a spatula without overmixing.
10 - Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Chocolate and peppermint is a flavor pairing that actually tastes fancy, like you spent three hours on these when you really didn't.
  • The swirl effect looks impressive enough to make people think you're more skilled than you actually are.
  • They stay moist and delicious for days, which means you can prep them ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter and eggs actually matter here—cold ingredients won't blend smoothly, and you'll end up with a weird, chunky batter that bakes unevenly.
  • Don't fill cupcake liners more than three-quarters full or they'll overflow into the tin, and you'll spend time scraping off the charred bits.
  • Let your cupcakes cool all the way down before frosting—even slightly warm cupcakes will melt frosting and make everything slide around.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder before using them—it takes an extra minute and prevents lumps that show up in your final texture.
  • Room temperature ingredients blend faster and smoother, so pull everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start baking.

Return