Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Gluten free chocolate cupcakes dipped in mint chocolate ganache and sprinkled with crushed peppermint candies. Swirled with a peppermint buttercream frosting.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 28
Ingredients
  • For Cupcakes:
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon finely ground gluten free oat flour
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon potato starch (not flour)
  • ½ cup tapioca starch
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ⅔ cup boiling water
  • ⅔ cup (4 oz) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 28 crushed peppermints, plus 28 whole peppermints for decorating
  • For MInt Chocolate Ganache:
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1½ cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • For Peppermint Buttercream:
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • dash of salt
  • red food coloring
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with liners. In a small mixing bowl sift together oat flour, potato starch, arrowroot starch, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  2. Heat ⅔ cup of water to boiling. Add in the cocoa powder and stir to dissolve. While water is still warm add the coarsely chopped chocolate. Continue to stir until completely melted. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla and mix together.
  4. Remove beaters from mixing bowl and perform last steps by hand. Add half of flour mixture to mixing bowl. Gently stir until combined. Add sour cream and stir until incorporated. Add remaining flour and stir until incorporated. Add melted chocolate and stir until just combined.
  5. Fill liners ⅔ way full and bake one pan at a time for 23-25 minutes, rotating after 22 minutes, until tops bounce back with touch of finger and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on cooling racks.
  6. While cupcakes are cooling, make chocolate ganache by microwaving ¼ cup heavy cream in a glass bowl for 45 seconds. Pour 1½ cups chocolate chips into bowl. Let sit for two minutes. Stir chocolate for at least a minute to melt chocolate chips. Heat in additional 15 second increments, stirring for at least a minute in between each interval. Once chocolate is smooth, add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Stir to combine.
  7. Once cupcakes are cooled, dip tops into chocolate ganache and sprinkle crushed peppermint candies around the edges. Immediately place in the fridge or freezer so the ganache can set.*
  8. Once cupcakes are finished dipping, make the butter cream frosting. Whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add 3 cups powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add 4 teaspoons peppermint extract, 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and a pinch of salt. Beat until combined. Add additional 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add more sugar or cream to reach desired consistency.
  9. Separate batter in half. Drop 4-5 drops of red food coloring in one half and stir until combined. Put white frosting and red frosting in two separate piping bags. Cut ends off and place both bags side by side in a larger piping bag. Swirl frosting on top of ganache.
  10. Drizzle cupcakes with additional ganache and decorate with a peppermint on top.
Notes
*Dip cupcakes one at a time and put immediately in the fridge to set. Otherwise, the ganache will start to drip down the sides as it hardens.
Recipe by Breezy Bakes at https://www.breezybakes.com/chocolate-peppermint-cupcakes/