White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
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These White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are filled with silky peppermint ganache and topped with white chocolate peppermint frosting!
These White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are perfect for the holidays. These white cupcakes are filled with white chocolate peppermint ganache and topped with white chocolate peppermint cream cheese frosting. They’re super moist, fluffy and festive!
Looking for more Christmas recipes? Try my Embossed Gingerbread Cookies, Hot Chocolate Cupcakes or Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies!
Ingredient Breakdown
Cake flour – this gives the cupcakes structure and a more tender crumb than all-purpose flour.
Baking powder and baking soda – both are necessary to help the cupcakes rise.
Butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Do not use cold or melted butter.
Granulated sugar – provides sweetness and texture.
Vegetable oil – adds moisture and tenderizes cupcakes.
Egg whites – binds the ingredients, provides structure and gives the cupcakes a light and fluffy texture.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
Buttermilk – adds flavor and moisture.
How To Make White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
1. Make the White Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Filling: place white chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or in a small pot over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate then let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk together until combined then add the peppermint extract. Place the white chocolate peppermint ganache in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Make the White Cupcakes: In a small bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy then add the vegetable oil. Mix in the egg whites and vanilla extract.
4. Fold in half of the dry ingredients then add all of the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Scoop batter into prepared pans 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely.
6. Make the White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy then add the cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and peppermint extract then slowly pour in the melted white chocolate. Add salt to taste.
7. Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a knife. Fill each cupcake with chocolate ganache. Decorate cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting as desired. Store White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Pro Tips For White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Be sure to use cake flour because it makes the cupcakes more tender than all-purpose flour.
- Don’t over mix the cupcake batter otherwise it will develop too much gluten and be dense/gummy.
- Do not over fill your cupcake liners. Only fill them 3/4 full. I love this cookie scoop because it fills them with the perfect amount of batter!
- Wait until the cupcakes are COMPLETELY COOLED before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt and slide off.
- Peppermint is very strong so avoid storing these cupcakes with any other treats because they may transfer the flavor.
Recipes To Use Up Leftover Egg Yolks
- Egg Yolk Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
- Oreo Blondies
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
- Small Batch Sugar Cookies
My Favorite Cupcake Tools
- Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
- Stand Mixer
- 12-count cupcake pans. I like having two of them so I bake off the whole batch all at once.
- Cupcake liners
- Cookie scoop. This one makes it so easy to scoop the perfect amount of batter for each cupcake.
- Mini offset spatula
- Piping tips and piping bags
- Ateco 846 I used this tip to pipe the sour cream frosting onto these cupcakes
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
Equipment
- Two 12-count cupcake pans
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
White Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Filling
- 8 oz white chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate bar)
- 4 oz heavy cream
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
White Cupcakes
- 280 g (2 1/2 cups) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 60 g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites (save the yolks for another recipe!)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g (1 cup) buttermilk
White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 360 g (3 cups) confectioners' sugar
- 85 g (1/2 cup) white chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled (or chopped chocolate bar)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
White Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Filling
- Place white chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or in a small pot over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate then let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk together until combined then add the peppermint extract. Place the white chocolate peppermint ganache in the fridge until ready to use.
White Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-count cupcake pans with paper liners.
- In a small bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy then add the vegetable oil. Mix in the egg whites and vanilla extract.
- Fold in half of the dry ingredients then add all of the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Scoop batter into prepared pans 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely.
White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy then add the cream cheese. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and peppermint extract then slowly pour in the melted white chocolate. Add salt to taste.
- Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a knife. Fill each cupcake with chocolate ganache. Decorate cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting as desired.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Store White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Nutrition: the provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Please read my Nutrition Disclaimer for more information.
