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white chocolate peppermint cupcakes on a small cake platter

Peppermint Cupcake Recipe

Bernice Baran
These peppermint cupcakes are made using my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe or chocolate cupcake recipe frosted with a fluffy white chocolate peppermint frosting. They’re decorated to represent the frosted north pole with candy canes, peppermint candies and crushed peppermint candy powder. 
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 33 minutes
Course Cupcakes
Cuisine American
Servings 27 cupcakes
Calories 394 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cup (172g) cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60mL) canola oil
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 large egg 60g, room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
  • 1/3 cup (80mL) whole milk room temperature
  • 14 White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles if you want to bake them inside the cupcake

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled 
  • 1/2 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dutch process), spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar 
  • 2 tsp (6g) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (120mL) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (180mL) hot coffee or hot water
  • 15 Chocolate or White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles if you want to bake them inside the cupcake

White Chocolate Frosting

  • 3/4 cup (4.5oz) white chocolate chips
  • 4 Tbsp (60mL) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cup (340g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 6 cups (720g) powdered sugar spooned and leveled
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  • mini candy canes
  • round peppermint candies

Instructions
 

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (preferably a light colored pan).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until they're evenly distributed (whisk well).
    1 1/2 cup (172g) cake flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • Add the oil and butter to the dry ingredients and beat together until they're combined.
    1/4 cup (60mL) canola oil, 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and paste and mix until they're fully combined.
    1 large egg, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed, while streaming the milk in. Scrape the edge of the bowl and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.
    1/2 cup (113g) sour cream, 1/3 cup (80mL) whole milk
  • Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full, about 50-55 grams of batter per cupcake.* You will have enough batter for about half a cupcake leftover. DO NOT BE TEMPTED to distribute that among the cupcakes, they will sink if they’re overfilled.
  • Bake for 16-18 minutes. They are done when you press on the center of the cupcake and it springs back or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove them from the oven and let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (or 12, the batter for the 13th can wait).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
    1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar , 2 tsp (6g) baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • Whisk together the oil, eggs and coffee until they're well combined.
    1/2 cup (120mL) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup (180mL) hot coffee
  • Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and mix just until the cupcake batter is completely smooth.
  • Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes. When you press on the center of the cupcake it should spring back.
  • Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Frosting

  • Place the white chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a bowl and microwave on 10-15 second intervals until it's melted and smooth. Make sure to stir between each interval. Set aside to cool and stir every so often.
  • Place the butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat at full speed for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to scrape the edge of the bowl every so often.
    1 1/2 cup (340g) unsalted butter
  • Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and peppermint and turn the mixer on to low speed, just until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then turn the speed up to high for 2-3 minutes.
    6 cups (720g) powdered sugar
  • With the mixer on medium speed, stream in the melted white chocolate and cream slowly and beat for another 2 minutes on high speed. If the buttercream is too soft to frost with, refrigerate it for 15-30 minutes before frosting.
    4 Tbsp (60mL) heavy whipping cream, 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  • Pipe a large round layer of frosting onto each cupcake and decorate with peppermint candies, mini candy canes and/or truffles.
    mini candy canes, round peppermint candies
  • Dust with powdered sugar, crushed candy cane powder or glitter or shimmer sprinkles to make it look a little frosted.

Notes

  • *I weigh 55g of batter for each cupcake. If it's less, they'll be short and if it's too much, they may sink.
  • If you bake a peppermint truffle inside of them, you can use a little less batter for each cupcake, like 40-45 grams and you’ll get 14ish white cupcakes instead and 15ish chocolate cupcakes. 
  • I recommend a light colored metal cupcake pan if you want the the vanilla cupcakes more uniform in color.
  • Store in an airtight container, at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for 7-10 days or frozen for a few weeks. 
Adjusting the Frosting Quantity
I couldn't decide between chocolate and vanilla cupcakes so I made a full batch of both. The recipe for the frosting is enough to just barely cover all of them, you shouldn't have any left over frosting.
If you want a little more frosting on each cupcake, I would increase it by 25% (2 cups (454g) of butter, 8 cups (960g) of powdered sugar, 1 cup (6oz) of white chocolate, etc.)

If you do just vanilla or just chocolate cupcakes OR if you make a half batch of each of them, I would recommend doing 1 cup (227g) of butter and 4 cups (480g) of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup (3oz) of white chocolate for the frosting.
I hope that makes sense, if you need help adjusting just comment below or shoot me a message! :)

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 117mgPotassium: 79mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 463IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!