Double chocolate candycane cupcakes with peppermint patty surprises

Hello!!! I was so excited to make these cupcakes. I tried a new chocolate cupcake recipe - Martha's one-bowl choc cupcakes and added chocolate chips. OMG so rich and fudgy and amazing. This will be my go-to choc cupcake recipe (will try others but will use this when I can't risk failure!). Then finally used my Lorann peppermint oil that I bought ages ago. This stuff is strong!! Literally only need a few drops. Made some mint patties which was quite fun. The texture is almost grainy but I like it. Nice and minty. Didn't make enough chocolate to dip them in - started dipping and realised I would run out. Then tried painting the chocolate on with a pastry brush but that was a bit fiddly. Just ended up spreading it on with a knife. Then made some two toned peppermint buttercream :) Love the this icing effect. Will have to try three colours one day. These creations are gifts for my work friends :)

One-bowl double chocolate cupcakes

adapted from Whisk Kid's Double Chocolate cupcakes recipe which was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe

I halved the recipe to make 9 cupcakes (although should make 12 according to original recipe - maybe my cupcakes are just massive as I used cardboard cases)

Ingredients

33 g unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 C (94 g) plain flour

3/4 C (149 g) caster sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

Just over 1/4 tsp baking powder

Just over 1/4 tsp salt
1 egg

88.5 ml/g warm water

88.5 ml buttermilk

1.5 Tbls safflower oil (I used canola)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 C chocolate chips (I used mini semi-sweet)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175 C). Line a muffin tin with liners (or baking tray with cardboard liners) and set aside.

2. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. 

 

3. Add egg, warm water, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and chocolate chips and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is well mixed.

4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into their centres comes out clean. Rotate pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

 

Candycane swirl buttercream icing
adapted from life tastes like food recipe which was adapted from My Baking Addiction
Makes enough to ice about 12 cupcakes (tall icing like mine - more could be iced if using less per cupcake, obviously)

Ingredients
113.5g unsalted butter, room temperature 
2 C (280g) confectioner’s/icing sugar 
1 tbsp milk (I used soy milk as it was all we had) 
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or a tiny drop if using Lorann peppermint oil) 
Food coloring (optional)

Method
1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on high-speed until light and fluffy.  About 4-5 minutes.


2.  Slowly add confectioner’s sugar in stages.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue mixing until well combined.

3. Add milk in 1/2 tbsp increments.

3.  Add peppermint extract.  Beat well to combine, sample buttercream.  If you want more mint flavor, add the next 1/4 tsp/drop, continue until flavor has been met.

4. For swirl icing - scoop half of the icing into another bowl. Add colouring slowly, beating between additions until desired colour is achieved.

5. Place each colour icing in separate piping bags then place both into a single piping bag fitted with a tip. Ensure the tips of each icing bag are sitting within the tip.

Mint patties
adapted from Cookie Talk recipe which was adapted from What Megan's Making
Makes about 2 dozen small patties (I cut the original recipe to 1/3)


Ingredients

146g icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tbsp light corn syrup 
1/2 tbsp water, plus more for spritzing if needed 
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract (couple of drops if using Lorann peppermint oil) 
1/3 tbsp shortening (I used unsalted butter), room temperature 
Icing sugar, for kneading and rolling (I just rolled it between sheets of baking paper so didn't need this) 
123g 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used milk chocolate chips) - I'd recommend using more if dipping rather than spreading, maybe 250g 
1 TB cocoa butter, plus more if needed (I used 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter plus a dash of canola oil to thin it out)


1. Mix together the sugar, corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, and shortening in a mixer (or hand mix with wooden spoon). It will take a while to come together and will still only be crumbly. If it is very dry where you are, spritz lightly with a little extra water (I added about 1/2 tbsp water). Once you start seeing large pieces come together, it is ready. You should be able to form a ball and hold its shape.

2. Move mixture to workspace and knead lightly until smooth. You may need to spritz lightly with water. Wrap in plastic and freeze for 15 minutes.

3. Roll dough until 1/8″ (or larger if you like thick patties). Dust with confectioners sugar as needed but try not to go overboard - it will make your dough dry (alternatively use baking paper). Return to freezer if dough becomes difficult to work with.

 4. Cut into circles. I used a shot glass. You can use whatever you have. Place patties on a sheet pan (non stick - I used one lined with baking paper. Re-roll scraps and cut again. Freeze patties for several hours or overnight.

5. When ready for dipping, prepare a double boiler by placing a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling!) water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water!

6. Option 1 Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in oil until desired consistency is achieved.
Option 2 Melt about 3/4ths of your chocolate over double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add remaining chocolate. Stir until smooth. Return to heat and add your cocoa butter. Add more if chocolate is too thick.
Turn heat off but keep chocolate over the water to keep warm.

7. Using a fork, dip the peppermint patty quickly into the chocolate, covering completely and then shaking excess off. Use a knife to scrape patty off of fork back onto the sheet pan. Repeat until all patties are complete OR alternatively just spread chocolate on top and sides using knife or pastry brush, let dry/set for about 15 minutes then flip and coat the bottom.


8. Leave at room temperature uncovered until completely set. Once set, you can cover them, but they may get spots so you are best just leaving at room temperature (I just chucked them in the fridge in an airtight container - I prefer them cold and I haven't noticed any spots yet).

Assembly of cupcakes!
1. Spread a little icing on top of cupcakes to glue on a peppermint patty.

2. Ice around and over the peppermint patty.

3. Stud icing with decorations! Eg choc chips, glitter, sprinkles, silver edible balls etc.

Next up - Christmas day desserts.