Recipes

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Cupcake Recipe

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (3 g) baking powder
• ¼ tsp (1 g) baking soda
• ¼ tsp (1 g) salt
• ½ cup (125 mL) sour cream (full-fat)
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) 2% milk
• ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (5 mL) peppermint extract
• ½ cup (65 g) milk, dark, white, or mint chocolate chips

For the Frosting:

• ½ cup (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (195 g) icing sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup (30 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
• 4 oz (120 g) bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) whipping cream
• ½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
• ½ tsp (2 mL) peppermint extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream, milk, brown sugar, oil, egg, and extracts.  Add this all at once to the dry mixture and then whisk by hand until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter into the prepared tin evenly and bake for about 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.  Allow the cupcakes to cool on a rack, in the tin completely before frosting.

4. For the frosting, beat the butter until fluffy using electric beaters. 

Add 1 cup (130 g) of the icing sugar and beat until smooth (start on low speed and then increase to medium high to avoid an icing sugar dust storm!)  Add the cocoa powder, beat in on low speed and then add the melted chocolate, cream and extracts and beat on low speed then increasing to medium high, until light and fluffy, adding the remaining ½ cup (65 g) of icing sugar if needed. Use the frosting while at room temperature.

5. Pipe (a star tip is best) or dollop the frosting on top of each cupcake and store at room temperature.  If making and assembling more than a day ahead of serving, the cupcakes can be refrigerated, but they should be served at room temperature.

DÉCOR IDEAS

Top each cupcake with a small chocolate peppermint patty piece that has been cut in half. Or top with sprinkles or dragees (Anna suggests pink & peach pearlized gumballs she found at Bulk Barn)

Make fondant cupcake topped with puppy pawprints on them.  Roll out 200 g white fondant and use a round cookie cutter (2 ½ -3 inches) to cut out circles and place on a plate or tray.  Roll out 100 g of chocolate fondant and use smaller cutters (or the 2 ends of a large plain piping tip) to cut out 12 circles as the paw pads, and 36 smaller “toes” (3 for each pawprint).  Brush the bottom of the pads with water to adhere them to the white circles, creating pawprints.  Let air-dry for a few hours before placing on top of each cupcake.

Another option is to make royal icing and pipe the paw prints onto a peppermint patty as a “puppy topper”.

Cupcake Recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes:

40 m 30 servings 276 cals

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle McCormick® Red Food Color
• 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

For the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar
• Add all ingredients to list

Directions

Prep: 20m
Cook: 20m
Ready In 40m

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.
4. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and McCormick(R) Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.