These peppermint mocha cupcakes will become a new family tradition! They make the perfect cupcakes for holiday get togethers and parties!
What's In This Article
Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes use doctored up box mix, marshmallow creme frosting and candy canes for the ultimate kid-friendly cupcake recipe!
Peppermint mocha cupcakes are cute little cupcakes that resemble a cup of hot cocoa. Mini candy canes make a handle and marshmallow creme frosting resembles whipped cream.
Make sure you PIN Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes!
A few weekends ago, I attended a food conference and received some amazing tips and ideas from McCormick Spice Company on how to use extracts to really amp up box cake mixes.
No fuss, no muss!
One of the things I learned was how adding just a few drops of any extract to a box mix can transform a recipe from good to great. My peppermint mocha cupcakes are just that!
What is mocha? Mocha is the name of a flavor that combines chocolate with coffee.
I used a few tablespoons of coffee extract in a regular chocolate cake mix to make them mocha cupcakes!
For the frosting, marshmallow creme whipped with vanilla or peppermint extract and powdered sugar makes for a fluffy frosting that can be spread or piped.
If you want to cut corners, feel free to use a store bought frosting. You can even add extract to a can of frosting to amp it up a little.
I didn’t want the peppermint candy canes to totally overwhelm the mocha flavor, so I used vanilla and only topped them off with a sprinkle of crushed candy cane.
If you are aiming for a super coffee flavor or a super peppermint flavor, then use those extracts instead of vanilla.
Mini candy canes simply hooked to the side of each cupcake resemble the handle on a coffee mug and are perfect for eating after your mocha treat.
Peppermint mocha cupcakes are super cute and perfect for any holiday party!
More holiday desserts:
- Slice and Bake Orange Cardamom Cookies
- Melted Snowman Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Tools for making Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes:
Stand Mixer- While this is an investment, I can guarantee you will use it more than you realize and will never regret the decision.
Muffin Tins– I like to have 2 so I can bake all of my cupcakes at the same time. They are great for so much more than cupcakes, too!
Questions you might have about how to make cupcakes:
Can I freeze these cupcakes? You surely can! Just freeze the cake only and frost them when you are ready to serve.
Can I use a white or yellow cake mix? Sure! But they won’t be mocha any more since the chocolate is missing. Even though they aren’t mocha, they will still be delicious!
Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
Ingredients
Mocha Cupcakes:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- Ingredients required for chocolate cake mix
- 2 tablespoons coffee extract
Marshmallow Creme Frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter room temperature
- 7 ounces marshmallow creme
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 30 mini candy canes
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Add coffee extract and blend. Spoon into cup cake liners and bake according to package directions. Remove from oven and set aside to fully cool.
- When cupcakes are cool, blend butter through powdered sugar. Slowly add milk until consistency is spreadable. You might not even use all 2 tablespoons. If it gets to runny, add more powdered sugar.
- Crush 6 candy canes in a airtight plastic bag. Remove the other 24 candy canes from their packages and set aside. Discard any broken ones, or use these for the crushed candy canes.
- Frost each cupcake and sprinkle with candy cane crumbles. Hang whole candy canes on the sides to resemble a cup handle.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
Such a great recipe! Absolutely delicious and moist!
Looks delicious, but at what point do you add the marshmallow creme?
Hi Lois, in step #2, combine butter, marshmallow fluff and other ingredients for the frosting. The creme is in the frosting, not the actual cupcake, although you could get crafty and stuff them!
These look beautiful and sound delicious. My favorite part of preparing for the holidays is the baking. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Pinned!
Happy Holiday!
I’d say these are amped up!! Beautiful. Pinning. Come share if you like. Linda
http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/12/what-to-do-weekends-51.html
These are super cute! I like the looks of the pistachio cranberry bark, too. Yum! Pinning! 🙂
ooo yummy!! Pinning! I love anything with the crushed candy on top ;o) Emily@nap-timecreations