Easy Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting are a fun holiday dessert made to look like a cup of hot cocoa. This is a perfect recipe for hot chocolate lovers and your Christmas party!
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
I love making Santa Christmas cupcakes and aren’t these Hot Chocolate Cupcakes so cute?
Holiday desserts are the best and Christmas is my all time favorite holiday to make cute holiday party treats and of course bake Christmas cookies for Santa!
At the first glance, your guests will probably think this dessert is hot cocoa, but they are really delicious hot chocolate cakes topped with the best homemade peppermint frosting!
I’ve been dying to show you these adorable Hot Chocolate Cupcakes that I made for Oriental Trading’s blog.
These fun cupcakes might not keep you warm and cozy on a cool winter evening, but they sure do taste amazing!
How Do You Make Peppermint Frosting?
The homemade peppermint frosting is what makes these cupcakes have all the holiday vibes. Not only is it very easy to make, but super delicious!
This peppermint frosting is made with cream cheese, powdered sugar and crushed candy canes, it’s a creamy, crunchy delight.
I definitely licked the bowl after making this cupcake frosting. Scroll down to print the recipe for this tasty peppermint frosting.
Hot Chocolate Cupcake Cups
The Santa paper cups I found at Oriental Trading Co are what make them so adorable!
I created this recipe in December 2016 with those cute Santa cups and sometimes they are not in stock when you need them.
If you can’t find the Santa cups on the OTC website, below are some cute alternative cups that will work for these hot chocolate cupcakes.
Change the cup and you can make them for any kind of themed party you want! These adorable cupcakes would be perfect for any holiday party, birthday or school party.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
This simple hot chocolate cupcake recipe calls for homemade ingredients, but if you didn’t want to bake from scratch, you could get store bought cupcakes and then just make the frosting.
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cup All-purpose Flour
- ⅔ cup Baking Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cup Sugar
- 1 Stick Butter room temperature
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Milk
Peppermint Frosting
- 1 Stick Salted Butter room temperature
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- 2 ½ cups of Powdered Sugar sifted
- 6 Candy Canes finely crushed
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 12 Mini Candy Canes for garnish
Instructions
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
- Beat sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Gradually mix in the flour mixture and milk. Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan and then the batter into the wrappers.
- Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
Peppermint Frosting
- Using an electric mixer on medium, whip cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Add the peppermint extract and with the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar. Continue adding powdered sugar to the frosting until you get your desired level of sweetness and thickness.
- Mix in the crushed candy canes.
Assemble Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Add a crumbled napkin or paper towel inside paper cups, then place an unfrosted cupcake on top of napkin.
- After the cupcakes are placed inside the cups, add frosting to a pipping bag and frost your cupcakes to make it look like whipped cream over hot chocolate.
- Break off a piece of candy cane and place inside the frosting and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published December 6, 2016 updated December 2021.
I hope you have fun making and eating these cute Christmas cupcakes! Be sure to browse around all of my other fun recipes on the Oriental Trading Blog.
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