Soft chocolate cupcakes with a peppermint chocolate filling and a delicious peppermint cream cheese frosting. These will become your new holiday favorite.
December is the busiest month in our house because of course, it’s Christmas, but we also have 3 birthdays on top of countless parties and gatherings. It just seems I can never catch a moment in the month of December.
I love to have baking to share with guests and friends but I really don’t always have a ton of time. Being short on time, I came up with this easy recipe using a Betty Crocker™ mix while adding in some delicious holiday flavor.
The Perfect Cupcake to Spread Holiday Cheer
I used the Premium Cupcake Mix (with Hershey’s® chocolate…. yum!) found in the baking aisle at Safeway and topped it with a frosting that takes less than 3 minutes to prepare. (In fact, Safeway had all of the baking supplies I needed for holiday baking). The result is the perfect holiday dessert for sharing!
Not only do I love having baking ready for visitors but I love dropping off plates of baked goods to friends, neighbors and teachers! These are the perfect way to spread cheer this holiday season!!
Tips for a Chocolate Gooey Center
Note: While the box directions have you add the filling before baking, I prefer to scoop out a piece of the baked cupcake and add the filling after baking. I find it gives a gooier center which we prefer. You can certainly do it either way, baking the filling in is easier.
Once baked and cooled, use a small knife or spoon to create a small cavity in your cupcake. Fill it with the peppermint filling and replace the piece you scooped out. Frost as usual.
More Delicious Christmas Desserts
Peppermint Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box Betty Crocker Hershey's Chocolate Premium Cupcake Mix (15 oz)
- ingredients as directed on the box
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup vanilla frosting
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 finely crushed candy canes
- red food coloring (optional)
- 2 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Open package and set the small chocolate filling packet aside.
- Place the filling into a small bowl and stir in ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- Prepare cupcakes as directed on the box using.
- Optional: You can pipe the filling into the cupcakes before or after baking.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- If you haven't already added the filling, scoop out a piece of the baked cupcake using a small spoon or cupcake corer. Add the filling into the cavity and replace the piece you scooped out.
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and peppermint extract until soft and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar. Stir in Betty Crocker Whipped Vanilla Frosting, crushed candy canes and a couple of drops of food coloring if using. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
Decorating
- Pipe or spread or pipe frosting on each cupcake. Sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Betty Crocker™ and Hershey’s® . The opinions and text are all mine.
The recipe calls for powdered sugar, but I didn’t see in the directions what I do with the powdered sugar. Thank you.
Sorry for the confusion, it is added in step 1 of the frosting.
I hope you adore them Veena!
These were such a hit! The perfect sweet treat, and ideal for your festive celebrations.
Thanks so much Alexandria!
What a wonderfully simple recipe with great flavour, love it!
Thank you Brian!
The shot of the gooey center killed me. These look phenomenal! I see a new holiday dessert thaat I definitely have to try thank you!
I hope you love it Farah!
These look so soft, so inviting. Definitely my favorite texture when it comes to cupcakes. Can’t wait to get everything I need for this recipe and make a huge batch of them :-)
I hope you love them Danielle!
They are so easy and so delicious Nicolette! Hope you enjoy!
My tween daughter is the baker in this house and she is going to fall in love with this recipe! Loe that gooey center! This is the perfect recipe for fall and winter months! Printing this one out as we speak!!
So excited for her to try it out Amanda! Make sure to let us know how it goes. Have fun baking!
The gooey chocolate-mint filling recipe is missing
It looks like it’s included in the boxed cupcake mix.
So when do I mix in the powder d sugar in the frosting? It’s in the ingredients but not the directions.
Sorry about that, it is mixed in with the cream cheese.
These look FANTASTIC!! That frosting, YUM!
Thank you Dorothy!