Rich chocolate cake, topped with smooth peppermint cream cheese frosting. These simple cupcakes are the perfect dessert for ringing in the holiday season. Chocolate Mint Cupcakes combine two classic holiday flavors - chocolate and peppermint. You'll be coming back for seconds with these babies.
Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
Someone very wise once said that a party without cake is just a meeting. Well, Julia Childs, I couldn't agree more! And chocolate cake is never a bad thing, especially when it's pretty and festive and makes you ohso happy it's the holidays so you can top your cake with things like peppermint sticks and rosemary wreaths.
What Do I Need To Make Chocolate Mint Cupcakes?
There are two parts to this recipe - the cake and the frosting. Let me talk about each separately.
The Cake
You'll need to add the following to your grocery list:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The Frosting
For the frosting you'll need:
- 8oz cream cheese
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- red food coloring gel (optional)
How Do You Make Chocolate Mint Cupcakes From Scratch?
The Cake
1. Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss together.
2. Add in oil, hot water, sour cream, egg, and vanilla.
3. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Line a cupcake pan with liners. Add ¼ cup batter to each cupcake liner.
Pro Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to portion your batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes until the cake bounces back with touched.
6. Cook completely on a wire rack.
The Frosting
1. Add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat until combined and fluffy.
2. Add in 4 cups powdered sugar.
3. Add vanilla, mint extract, and heavy cream.
4. Beat until smooth.
5. Using a toothpick, dip it into red food coloring gel and draw three lines lengthwise inside of your piping bag.
6. Carefully fill the piping bag with prepared frosting.
7. Squeeze frosting into a bowl until red stripe appears.
8. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Chocolate Mint Cupcakes Q&A
Why are my cupcakes dry?
The most common cause of dry cupcakes is over baking. I'm guilty of this myself on occasion. Start at the low end of the recommended time and gently touch the cake. If it bounces back the cake is done.
Why are my cupcakes dense?
Over-creaming your butter and sugar can cause a dense cake. The butter will trap more air than it should. As the batter bakes, that extra air will deflate and leave you with an overly dense cake. It's all science! For best results, cream butter and sugar together for about 1-2 minutes.
How long do mint cupcakes last?
I recommend eating cupcakes the day they are baked, but you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Past that the freshness begins to dwindle.
I love cake! Do You Have Other Recipes?
We do! Check our our:
OIL VS BUTTER
Do You Have Other Holiday Recipes?
We do - check our our:
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Ingredients
The Cake
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream (can use milk)
- red food coloring gel optional
Instructions
The Cake
- Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss together.
- Add in oil, hot water, sour cream, egg, and vanilla.
- Mix on low speed for 30 seconds and then medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Line a cupcake pan with liners. Add ¼ cup batter to each cupcake liner.
- Pro Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to portion your batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes until the cake bounces back with touched.
- Cook completely on a wire rack.
The Frosting
- Add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat until combined and fluffy.
- Add in 4 cups powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla, mint extract, and heavy cream.
- Beat until smooth.
- Using a toothpick, dip it into red food coloring gel and draw three lines lengthwise inside of your piping bag.
- Carefully fill the piping bag with prepared frosting.
- Squeeze frosting into a bowl until red stripe appears.
- Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Emily Kemp says
I love how you decorated the top it looks so festive!
Steffanie Clark says
In the instructions you say to sift the dry ingredients together, including cinnamon, but you don't list cinnamon in the ingredient list.
Stephanie says
You're exactly right! I just copied and pasted directions from my chocolate cake, which has cinnamon in it. I need to edit that out, thank you!