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The Spruce / Allyson Kramer
These fun treats taste just like a mug of hot cocoa laced with peppermint candy canes. If you're not fond of peppermint flavor, simply use 1/4 teaspoon more vanilla extract or almond extract instead.
The frosting is made with vegan marshmallows--which you can find online or at various Natural Foods Stores, such as Whole Foods--so they really taste quite a bit like a piping cup of hot cocoa.
This recipe includes chickpea flour, as it is used not only as a flour, but also an egg-replacer/binder as well. For those of you who raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of buckwheat, rest assured–you can’t taste it even a little bit in these cakes. It does, however, add a warm depth to the chocolaty flavor that should not be missed. If you can't locate buckwheat flour, or simply don't have any on hand, feel free to sub in 1/2 cup additional all purpose flour in its place.
Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup chickpea flour (garbanzo bean flour/besan)
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (or your favorite flavoring)
- 1 1/2 cups nondairy milk
- For the Marshmallow Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups (packed well) vegan mini marshmallows (such as Dandies)
- 1/4 cup nondairy margarine
- 2 tablespoons nondairy milk
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
Steps to Make It
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this cupcake dessert is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.
The Cupcakes
-
Gather the ingredients.
-
Preheat your oven to 350 F and line 12 cupcakes tins with paper liners.
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In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients up to the olive oil and whisk well to mix.
-
Make a well in the center and add in the olive oil, vanilla extract, peppermint extract if using, and nondairy milk. Mix very well until the batter is smooth.
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Divide evenly among the 12 tins and bake for 26 minutes in your preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The Frosting
-
Gather the ingredients.
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In a small saucepan, melt the marshmallows and the margarine over medium low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
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Place the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and add in the nondairy milk.
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Mix well until combined.
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Add the confectioner’s sugar, a little at a time and mix on high speed until fluffy.
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Frost cooled cupcakes and then place into the refrigerator to firm up before serving.
Tip
- Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.