Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes in life you just need a little bit of chocolate, and then their are times that you need chocolate and well some peppermint :)

I love to bake cupcakes, and sometimes I am so thankful for an excuse to make them. Not that I need one, but well this time I had a reason :)

At our church here in Colorado we house students who are training to go into full time ministry. Well we adopted one of the chica's into our family. We just love us some Mary Helen! She's a sweet southern girl from Alabama who loves to say yes ma'am and make me feel way old.

Yesterday was her Birthday and since she is away from home well the girl needs something yummy to indulge in for her birthday! So I made her some yummy cupcakes!

She texted me a picture later of the pan of 2 dozen cupcakes that were demolished by the students.

Okay so I normally don't share my recipes but this is a cheater recipe that is soooo EASY!!!

Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes w/ a Stuffed Andes Peppermint inside (yummo) & Cream Cheese peppermint Icing. Sprinkled on top are the soft baking chips that andes makes at Christmas!

Cupcake Directions

Cupcake:

1 package devil’s food cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1-cup sour cream

1-cup vegetable oil

4 eggs; lightly beaten

1/2-cup warm water

1 teaspoon of vanilla (could use peppermint, but I prefer to taste the chocolate)

Package of Christmas Peppermints (round and large)

Frosting:

8 Oz Cream cheese (room temp)

6 tbsp. unsalted butter (room temp)

1-2 tbsp peppermint extract (do it to your taste)

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* Line muffin tins (this recipe will make close to 3 dozen)

* In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla and water.

*Divide the batter into the prepared pans. I use a pampered chef melon scoop :)

*Bake for 15 minutes, and then take your Peppermint and unwrap and push down into cupcake. At this point your cupcake will not be all the way cooked that's okay!! Push it down and then allow the cupcake to "swallow it up" and continue to bake for another 3-5 minutes until the top is springy to touch.

*Cool cupcakes all the way before frosting.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until mixed, then up the speed to medium-high and whip for several minutes until light and fluffy. Once cupcake is cooled, grab your favorite tip and bag and decorate away. Sprinkle the top with red and white peppermint Andes (baking isle).

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer!

Enjoy!