It's getting holly and jolly in my kitchen, and I'm loving it! Holiday movies are being watched, gift shopping is almost complete, parties are being planned, and bells are being jingled. Ok, well no bells are being jingled, because I don't actually have any bells to jingle, but they're jingling in spirit.
I have loved holiday baking ever since I was a kid. Was it was an excuse to eat lots of sugary things? You betcha! I was inspired to make Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes after speaking at Vegfest London, where I saw a stand that was selling similar cupcakes. (I forget the name of the vendor, so apologies for that, please inform me if you know). I didn't have time to pick up a cupcake to nosh on while I was there, so you better believe the first thing I did when I got home was whip up my own version.
Am I ever glad I did!!! Mint chocolate is one of my all time favourite combos. I have my cupboard stocked with Stash mint chocolate tea at all times (I've confirmed with Stash that it's vegan, woot!). So it's not surprising that I fell deeply and madly in love with my Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes. Sweet, chocolatey, rich and fluffy, and a hint of minty freshness. Yum seems like a simple way to describe them, but when you take a bite, that's exactly what you'll say, an enthusiastic "YUM!!!!" These vegan peppermint chocolate cupcakes are so easy to make and are perfect for the holidays.
For the cake, I adapted my Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe to make a rich, chocolatey cupcakes with just a hint of peppermint. Then, I topped them with peppermint infused frosting, and sprinkled them with crushed candy cane, which is not only pretty, but I love the little crunch it adds.
You better believe these cupcakes taste just as yummy as they look. Friends visited while I had these displayed, and let's just say, they didn't last long.
To Make Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes:
In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over mix, lumps are totally cool.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
Use a stand or hand mixer, whip together the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
For the crushed candy canes, unwrap 5 candy cans and put them in a sealable bag. I used a rolling pin to lightly whack and roll over the candy canes breaking them into small pieces.
Decorate the cupcakes using pastry bag or spatula to frost the cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Common Questions:
Can I freeze vegan peppermint chocolate cupcakes?
If you place the cupcakes in a sturdy, air-tight container, they should last for up to 3 months.
Do I need to refrigerate vegan cupcakes?
Believe it or not, vegan cupcakes have about the same "shelf life" as non-vegan cupcakes. This means, they should be fine at room temperature for a few days if kept in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Putting them in the fridge will actually dry them out faster.
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Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes
Servings: cupcakes
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Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cups plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- ⅓ cups light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Frosting ingredients:
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond), if needed
- 5 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Line a cupcake pan with 12 parchment paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over mix, lumps are totally cool.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Use a stand or hand mixer, whip together the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
To decorate the cupcakes:
- Use a pastry bag or spatula to frost the cupcakes.
- Crush the candy canes by placing them in a bag then using a rolling pin to smash them up. Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with crushed candy canes.
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Krista says
When you say they freeze well, is this with the frosting or without? Love your vegan chocolate cake!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
You can freeze them with the frosting too!
Bailey says
Awesome chocolate cupcake recipe!! Can easily omit the peppermint extract if you just need regular chocolate. This is my new go-to. I fill my liners with a heaping 1/4 cup of batter and get 14 cupcakes.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Thanks for sharing your experience!