Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
I’m just not ready to say goodbye to peppermint this season – especially when it’s paired with hot cocoa or coffee – and who says we have to?
These cupcakes are super moist and incredibly festive. They’re also easy to dress up with a few simple steps of presentation. You cannot go wrong with this chocolatey peppermint treat!
Ingredients
- 1 – 16 oz Red Velvet Cake Mix
- 1 – 3.9 oz Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- 8 oz. – Fat Free Egg Substitute
- 8 oz. – Plain Greek Yogurt
- 3/4 cup – Freshly Brewed Coffee (for a darker chocolate taste) OR Hot Chocolate
- 2 tbsp. – Olive Oil
- 1-1/2 tsp – Peppermint Extract
- 2 cans – Whipped White Frosting
- Crushed Peppermint Candies
- Red Sugar Sprinkles
- Red or Green straws
- Foil-and-paper cupcake liners
Cupcake Directions
Makes 18-20 cupcakes depending on how high you fill each cupcake liner.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line a cupcake pan with foil-and-paper liners.
- Combine cake mix, pudding mix, egg substitute, greek yogurt, coffee or hot chocolate, oil & peppermint extract in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
- Spoon batter into lined cupcake pan.
- Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the cupcake pan comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes (this is a very moist cake recipe so “clean” means not clumpy or sticky – there will be a little residue left on the toothpick).
- Remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Presentation Directions
- Cut green or red straws in half.
- Crush peppermint candies.
- Fill a quart size ziploc freezer bag with the whipped white frosting, pressing frosting to one corner of the bag. Clip a small opening in the corner of the bag and pipe frosting directly onto cooled cupcakes (in a circular motion from the center out).
- Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with crushed peppermint and red sugar sprinkles.
- Poke straw into the side of the cupcake.
- Serve chilled.