Fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with a swirl of white chocolate peppermint frosting and rich peppermint bark!
When it comes to Christmas, I can’t think of any candy that’s more iconic than the candy cane. Whether you hang them on your Christmas tree, or enjoy sucking on them until they become sharp enough to seriously injure someone, we can all agree they’re an absolute must during this time of year!
One of my favorite holiday treats to make with candy canes is peppermint bark. Not only is it a super simple treat to make for friends and neighbors, but it’s also incredibly tasty when paired with a hot beverage like coffee or hot chocolate. The heat from the drink warms your mouth, causing the peppermint bark to instantly melt when it hits your tongue. And if you’re like me, you might just toss a few pieces of peppermint bark into your hot chocolate for a little extra richness and pepperminty flavor!
So this year, instead of just making up a batch (or ten) of peppermint bark, I decided to go one step further by baking up a batch of cupcakes dedicated to this holiday favorite!
These Peppermint Bark Cupcakes are GUARANTEED to bring a smile to every single person you share them with. They have the perfect balance of peppermint sweetness and chocolatey richness. With a deep dark chocolate cupcake that’s supremely fluffy, and a generous crown of creamy peppermint buttercream, you can’t ask for a more perfect Christmas treat than these cupcakes!
Oh, and let’s not forget that each cupcake is so eloquently adorned with a piece of peppermint bark! I figured that if I was going to call these Peppermint Bark Cupcakes, I better have peppermint bark SOMEwhere in the cupcake.
So let’s talk about these cupcakes, shall we?
The cake is pretty much your standard chocolate cake recipe, but with the addition of a few special ingredients. First, in order to intensify the flavor of the chocolate/cocoa powder, I dissolved a teaspoon of instant espresso powder in hot water, which is eventually incorporated into the batter. Trust me, you won’t taste any coffee when you bite into these cupcakes, because there’s so little espresso added to the batter.
To keep these cupcakes nice and moist, I used a combination of vegetable oil and greek yogurt. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I seem to have better luck producing perfectly-domed cupcakes when I use greek yogurt as opposed to sour cream. I’m guessing it might have something to do with the fact that yogurt contains less fat than sour cream.
The amount of peppermint extract you add to the cupcakes depends on your personal preference. I only added half of a teaspoon since peppermint is notorious for being rather strong. My advice is to start small with about 1/4 teaspoon, taste the batter, then increase the amount from there if you like a stronger peppermint flavor. Try not to go too overboard though because you’re also going to add peppermint extract to the frosting!
Speaking of…
What’s more heavenly than white chocolate peppermint frosting? I mean, I don’t think you can ever go wrong when you combine butter, powdered sugar, melted white chocolate, and peppermint, can you? Just make sure that your melted chocolate hasn’t already begun to set/harden when it’s time to add it to the frosting. You don’t want the melted chocolate too cool, or else you’ll end up with pieces of white chocolate all throughout your frosting. However, you also don’t want your melted chocolate too warm, or else it’ll melt the frosting when added. To put it simply, the chocolate should be liquid-smooth and around room temperature when mixed into the frosting.
As I mentioned earlier, peppermint bark is a cinch to make! Instead of layering the white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate, I decided to swirl them into each other. All you have to do is line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Melt some white chocolate in one bowl, and dark chocolate in another bowl. Pour your melted dark chocolate onto the baking sheet, and use an offset spatula to spread into a thin layer. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate evenly over the chocolate, then use a butterknife to swirl figure-eights throughout the chocolate.
At the very end, gently tap the baking sheet on the counter so that all of the chocolate settles into one even layer. Sprinkle on some crushed candy canes/peppermints, and allow it to set up in the refrigerator before breaking into pieces!
Moist and fluffy chocolate cake…incredibly creamy white chocolate peppermint frosting…melt-in-your-mouth peppermint bark…what more could you ask for?
Fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with a swirl of white chocolate peppermint frosting and rich peppermint bark!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 18 minutes mins
Refrigeration Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 58 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Peppermint Bark:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 3 ounces white chocolate
- 3 Tablespoons crushed candy canes/peppermints
For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ¾ cup hot water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting
- 5 ounces white chocolate**
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon peppermint extract*
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
To Decorate:
- Crushed peppermints
Instructions
Make the Peppermint Bark:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Microwave the white chocolate in a separate bowl.
Pour the melted semi-sweet chocolate onto the lined baking sheet, and spread into a thin layer that's about 7 by 10 inches. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate evenly over the semi-sweet chocolate. Use a butter knife to swirl the white chocolate through the semi-sweet chocolate. Once swirled, gently tap the baking sheet on the counter until all of the chocolate settles and smooths out.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the chocolate, then place into the refrigerator to set up and harden--about 10 minutes. Once set, peel the chocolate bark off of the parchment and break into pieces. Store in the refrigerator until ready to decorate the cupcakes.
Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees, and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.Add the espresso powder to the hot water, and stir until fully dissolved; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and both sugars until well combined.Add the oil and yogurt and continue stirring with a whisk. Batter will be thick so you’ll have to add half of the espresso liquid to stir more easily. Add the rest of the espresso liquid, the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract, stirring until just combined.
Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling 2/3 of the way. Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few crumbs attached.Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until smooth and melted. Set aside to cool slightly***.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, salt, vanilla and peppermint extract on high until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix on high for 3 minutes.
Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Add the melted chocolate and beat frosting on high for 2-3 minutes. Add the heavy cream, and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes, then garnish with crushed peppermints and a piece of peppermint bark. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*I added 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract which was just strong enough for me.
**If using white chocolate chips which don't melt as smoothly, you might want to add 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable/coconut oil to your chocolate when heating in the microwave. This will result in a much smoother consistency, thus making it easier to incorporate into the frosting.
***Make sure the white chocolate doesn't start to harden up again before you add it to the frosting. If it's already begun to set along the edges of the bowl, it'll harden once it hits the frosting, causing chunks of white chocolate throughout. If necessary, reheat chocolate in the microwave at 10-second increments just until it's completely liquid-smooth, but not too warm.
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