With a moist cake base crowned with a swirl of fluffy peppermint buttercream, these Peppermint Swirl Chocolate Cupcakes bring an instant dose of holiday cheer to any party! Simple ingredient swaps make them vegan without any fuss.

Chocolate peppermint swirl cupcakes with candy canes.

In full disclosure, it took me a while to warm up to the combination of chocolate and peppermint. But once I got on board, I fully got on board (hat tip to these fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Cookies). And today’s peppermint swirl chocolate cupcakes were my first love. The cake itself is so tender and rich, and the peppermint buttercream on top is pure holiday bliss—like a candy cane in frosting form! I love making these for my family’s Christmas celebration, but they’re so delicious, I’ve been known to make them all year long!

Why These Cupcakes Are a Must-Make for the Holidays

I know your baking list for this festive time of year is probably quite long, but you really need to make some room for these peppermint swirl chocolate cupcakes!

  • The perfect holiday cupcake. I love my Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes and Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes, but this time of year, it’s gotta be these peppermint cupcakes! They’re so festive and fun with the crushed candy canes on top.
  • Fluffy and tender. Homemade Vegan Buttermilk and warm coffee help create cupcakes with an ultra-moist crumb and beautiful rise. You’ll never guess they’re vegan!
  • A dreamy peppermint frosting. I took my Vegan Buttercream Frosting and added a splash of peppermint extract to make it festive and SO delicious.
Ingredients for chocolate peppermint swirl cupcakes.

Notes on Ingredients

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need for these vegan peppermint swirl chocolate cupcakes. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

  • Apple cider vinegar – This reacts with the baking soda to create lift. You can swap in regular white vinegar instead if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Soy milk – I like to bake with soy milk because it’s richer and creamier, but you can use any unflavoured and unsweetened plant milk you like.
  • Sugar –You can use either brown sugar or cane sugar.
  • All-purpose flour – Want to make your peppermint cupcakes gluten-free? Easy! Just use a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Be sure to use cocoa powder, not cocoa mix, which is sweetened.
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Sea salt
  • Oil – Any kind you like to use in your baking.
  • Peppermint extract – Use peppermint extract not mint extract. Mint extract has more of a wintergreen flavour.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Warm vegan milk + instant coffee – Don’t worry, your cupcakes won’t taste like coffee! But coffee does intensify the chocolate flavour.

For the Frosting:

  • Vegan butter – Plus sea salt if you’re using unsalted butter.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar – Here’s how to make Homemade Powdered Sugar.
  • Peppermint extract
  • Vegan milk – To adjust the consistency of the frosting as needed.
  • Crushed peppermints – You can use candy canes or Starlite mints.

How to Make Peppermint Swirl Chocolate Cupcakes

Don’t be intimidated! Let’s break down the steps of making these cupcakes. It’s easier than you think!

Vegan buttermilk mixture in liquid measuring cup.
Make the vegan buttermilk.
Whisk in bowl with dry ingredients for chocolate peppermint cupcakes.
Whisk the dry ingredients.
  • Make the vegan buttermilk. Whisk the vinegar and vegan milk; set aside to thicken.
  • Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in bowl with whisk.
Combine wet and dry.
Whisk in bowl with ingredients for chocolate peppermint cupcakes.
Add coffee mixture.
  • Add the wet ingredients. Whisk in the oil, buttermilk, peppermint extract, and vanilla.
  • Stir in the coffee mixture. Mix the warm milk and instant coffee. Beat this into the batter.
Chocolate cupcake batter in pan before baking.
Bake the cupcakes.
Peppermint buttercream piped onto cupcakes set on wire rack.
Frost.
  • Bake. Divide the batter into 12 liners and bake at 350°F for 18 minutes. Cool completely.
  • Make the frosting. Beat the vegan butter, vanilla, and peppermint, then gradually add the powdered sugar and milk until light and fluffy.
  • Assemble. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with the crushed peppermints.
Chocolate peppermint swirl cupcake with candy canes for garnish.

Tips for Success

If you scroll on down to the recipe card, I’ve got lots of detailed tips to help you make sure these peppermint swirl chocolate cupcakes turn out perfect. But here’s a brief overview.

  • Warm milk matters. Warm liquid dissolves the coffee, which enhances and deepens the chocolate flavour.
  • Weigh your flour and cocoa powder. I provide gram measurements in the recipe card and I highly recommend weighing the dry ingredients if you can. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, lightly spoon the flour and cocoa powder into measuring cups, then level them with a butter knife to make sure you don’t use too much.
  • Avoid overmixing. Too much, or too vigorous, mixing activates the gluten in the flour and makes the cupcakes dense.
  • Cool completely before frosting. Even if the cupcakes are just a tiny bit warm, the frosting will melt. They really need to be room temperature!
  • Don’t stress about the frosting. If you don’t have experience piping frosting, or don’t have a piping bag, you have other options! An offset spatula does a terrific job or if you really want that beautiful mound of frosting on top, use a large cookie dough scoop and add a scoop of frosting to each cupcake. Even some professional bakeries add their frosting this way!

How to Store

  • Storing unfrosted cupcakes: Keep these peppermint swirl chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • Storing frosted cupcakes: Refrigerate frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
  • To freeze: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw, then add the frosting.
Chocolate peppermint swirl cupcakes with candy canes.

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Chocolate peppermint swirl cupcakes with candy canes.

Peppermint Swirl Chocolate Cupcakes

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
These moist Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes are topped with fluffy vegan peppermint buttercream for a festive and delicious holiday treat!
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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or regular vinegar (22mL)
  • ½ cup soy milk, or other vegan milk (120mL) (room temperature For buttermilk)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, or cane sugar (200g)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, (180g)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (40g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, (4g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, (6g)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt, (3g)
  • ⅓ cup oil, (66g)
  • ½-1 teaspoon peppermint extract, (for a subtle or a stronger peppermint taste, 2.5–5mL)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (5mL)
  • ½ cup warm milk + 1 teaspoon instant coffee, mixed in until dissolved. Stir these together right before you need it so it's still warm for cake batter (120mL milk + 1.8g coffee)

FOR THE FROSTING:

  • ½ cup vegan butter, softened (113g)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, (2.5mL)
  • ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, (1.25mL)
  • 1 ½-1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, (180g)
  • ½ tablespoon vegan milk, add more if needed (7mL)
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, only if using unsalted butter (0.75g)

GARNISH:

  • Chopped peppermints, in a food processor

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin cups with cupcake liners or foil bake cups.
  • In a jar, add the vinegar and vegan milk together to curdle to form a buttermilk. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Using a whisk, whisk all the ingredients together, removing and clumps that may form.
  • Whisk in the oil, the buttermilk mix from earlier, peppermint extract and the vanilla extract.
  • Heat up that additional milk and coffee mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds (or on stove top until warm not boiling). You want it warm enough to dissolve but not boiling. Stir the instant coffee into it with a whisk or fork to dissolve for about 30 seconds.
  • Add it to the bowl on top of everything. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer for no more than 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once in between to ensure that everything is incorporated.
  • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners (about ¾ full with batter). You can use an ice cream scoop to help! Tap the cupcake pan on the counter three times (lift and tap down slightly) to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
  • Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven and in the center of that rack. Bake for 18 minutes until fully cooked and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few crumbs . Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
  • After cooled, frost with buttercream frosting and with sprinkles (optional!) Enjoy!

Frosting:

  • Beat the butter, vanilla and peppermint extract for about 2-3 minutes with a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, until fluffy.
  • Add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Fold it in with a spatula so it doesn’t fly everywhere, then beat for about 1 minute. Add the rest of the frosting in small increments too, until fully incorporated.
  • Add in a ½ tablespoon of vegan milk at a time until it reaches your preferred volume and consistency. Add that last ½ cup powdered sugar if you desire.
  • Then beat for about 5 minutes, using the spatula to mix everything together every other minute, until the frosting is fluffy, white, smooth and creamy.

Notes

  • Don’t Skip the Vinegar: This is our key ingredient to helping these cupcakes rise
    alongside the baking soda! It reacts to it and also helps with the fluffiness. Don’t worry – you don’t taste it at all.
  • Ensure Ingredients are Room Temperature: This ensures that everything blends together properly. It also makes emulsion (such as for the buttermilk) easier, so aids in the end cupcakes being fluffy, tender and soft.
  • The secondary ½ cup warm milk is crucial. It helps to dissolve the coffee which enhances the chocolate flavour. It also aids in helping the cupcakes to be soft. You want this to be warm, but not piping hot!
  • Check Your Ingredients for Freshness: Always ensure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh! This will make or break your recipe, and its very easy to check with this tip.
  • Weigh Cocoa Powder: I highly suggest using a kitchen scale for this! It gives you the most accurate results. Even if you don’t weigh the other ingredients, I highly
    recommend always weighing your cocoa powder. It can get packed very easily and you can end up adding too much or too little, which will throw off the rest of the recipe.
  • Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: Over-mixing the batter can make the cupcakes too dense because of the gluten that activates in the flour – just mix enough to combine all of the ingredients together.
  • Always let your chocolate cupcakes cool completely before adding frosting. This way the frosting won’t slide off or melt.
  • Sift Your Powdered Sugar: Be sure to sift your powdered sugar before making your frosting! This makes such a tremendous difference to the consistency of the frosting.
  • To Avoid Thick Frosting: You don’t want the frosting to be runny, but you also want it to spread easily across the top of the cake. If your frosting turns out to be too thick, try adding a splash of milk to it. Add your milk a little bit at a time.
  • Let Cakes and Cupcakes Cool Before Frosting: Frosting too quickly might make the cake and cupcakes crumble. If you want a pretty cake, wait to frost until it’s cooled.
  • Sift Your Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift your powdered sugar before mixing, so that the frosting is the ultimate creamy consistency.
  • Soften Your Vegan Butter: Be sure that your vegan butter is soft enough to spread before mixing it. You don’t want it runny though!
  • If Too Thick, Add Milk: The ideal frosting is not runny, but not too thick either. If yours becomes too thick, add a splash of milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Whip It: For super fluffy frosting, you’ll want to keep whipping it. I prefer using a stand mixer for my frosting so I can whip it for about 5 minutes.
Calories: 274kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Sodium: 326mg, Potassium: 129mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 437IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Cuisine: American
Course: Desserts
Author: Jessica Hylton