Chocolate Cupcakes With Peppermint Frosting Food

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Combine the chocolate chips and hot coffee together, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. In a large bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until thickened slightly. Slowly add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, and combine completely. Add the sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until well combined.
• Fill the prepared cupcake liners three-quarters full with the cupcake batter. Place in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 21 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the Chocolate Ganache and the Peppermint Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting. Put the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• To assemble: Using an apple corer, remove the center of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake with a spoonful of the Chocolate Ganache. Using the frosting-filled pastry bag, frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
• Bring the heavy cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat and add in the chocolate. Stir the mixture until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Whip together the butter and marshmallow cream, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the peppermint extract. Slowly add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on a slow speed. Add the milk and additional powdered sugar, up to 2 cups, until desired consistency is reached.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the buttermilk, oil, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and the eggs to the well and whisk together until there are just a few streaks remaining. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
• Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner about halfway to two-thirds full with batter. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few a crumbs, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
• Meanwhile, place the frosting in a medium bowl. Fold in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, then add the broken candy and fold together using a rubber spatula. Place a dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake and use an offset spatula to spread. Dust the tops with red sprinkles, if using.

LOW CALORIE MINT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FROSTING FROM 'COOK YOU

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners.
• 2. Using a handheld or standing mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until pale and quadrupled in size. Add the grated sweet potato and whisk again. Whisk in the ground almonds, flour, peppermint extract, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder until they are well combined. Add the chocolate chunks or chips, and using a spatula, mix so that they are evenly distributed.
• 3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners so that each liner is half-filled. This will give them enough space to puff up and rise to the top while baking.
• 4. Bake for 20 minutes. They will be somewhat flat on top rather than dome-shaped.
• 5. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator until the cupcakes are cold. The cupcakes will need to be cold to keep the icing from sliding off.
• 6. While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing: With a wooden spoon or mixer, beat the butter with one heaping tablespoon of the sugar, the peppermint extract and coloring for a minute until they are all incorporated and the butter has softened slightly. Add the confectioners' sugar one heaping tablespoon at a time, with half a teaspoon of water each time you add the sugar, and beat between each addition. Once all the sugar is added, you should have a soft green paste.
• 7. Ice each cold cupcake, using just over a tablespoon of frosting per cupcake. Finish by sprinkling dark chocolate shavings over the top of each one.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Cupcakes: sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a heavy mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add sugar.
• Turn the mixer on low and add, in order; water, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla; scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium, briefly, to achieve a smooth batter.
• Scoop the batter into muffin tins lines with paper baking cups; each cup should be about half full; slide the tins onto a baking sheet and bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
• Frosting: Cream the butter in the bowl of a mixer, using the paddle attachment; beat in the corn syrup, vanilla and salt.
• With the machine off, spoon in the cocoa; carefully turn the mixer on low so as to avoid death by cocoa inhalement; do likewise for the sugar, in three parts; last, add the cream then beat until fluffy.
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• When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously and shake on some sprinkles if you like.

PEPPERMINT CUPCAKES WITH MARSHMALLOW FLUFF WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar and 1 cup butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix peppermint extract, almond extract, and food coloring into creamed butter mixture.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix flour mixture, alternating with 3/4 cup milk, into creamed butter mixture, ending with flour mixture, until batter is just combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Allow melted white chocolate to cool to room temperature.
• Mix marshmallow fluff and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl until smooth. Stir melted white chocolate into marshmallow mixture. Add confectioners sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, to marshmallow mixture until fully incorporated; add enough milk to reach desired consistency. Transfer frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.