Description
These festive Reindeer Cupcakes are rich chocolate treats topped with luscious peanut butter chocolate frosting and decorated with edible antlers and candy eyes. Perfect for holiday celebrations, they combine moist chocolate cupcakes with creamy peanut butter frosting and charming reindeer faces made from candies and piped chocolate antlers.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature (180g)
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder (3g)
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted (60g)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (32g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (114g)
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (73g)
- 1 tsp white vinegar (4g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (98g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (2g)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (60g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt (2g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (375g)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate, melted and cooled (135g)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (80g) for antlers
Decorations
- Mint M&Ms or round red and white candies or sprinkles for eyes and nose
Tools
- Electric hand mixer
- 1 Large Piping Bag
- 3 Small Piping Bags
- 1 Large Round Tip (like an Ateco 805)
- 2 Medium Round Tips (like a Wilton 10)
- Small offset spatula or a small acetate sheet
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup buttermilk with 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder. Stir until dissolved. Add 1/3 cup melted chocolate chips and 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, whisking until smooth.
- Add Eggs and Oils: Whisk in 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil, 1 tsp white vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp fine salt to the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined. The batter will be thin, which is expected.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for approximately 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. For faster cooling, place them in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Melt Chocolate for Frosting: Melt 3/4 cup dark chocolate using a double boiler or microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool fully to avoid melting the butter in frosting.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Frosting Base: Beat 1 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter on medium speed using a hand mixer for 30 seconds until smooth.
- Flavor and Mix Frosting: Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt, mixing on medium-low until combined. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup heavy cream on low speed until incorporated. Adjust consistency if necessary by adding more cream or powdered sugar.
- Separate Frosting for Decorations: Scoop 1/2 cup peanut butter frosting into a small piping bag with a round tip. In another small bowl, color about 1/4 cup frosting black with gel food coloring and place into another small piping bag. Place the remaining frosting in a large piping bag with a large round tip for cupcake topping.
- Add Melted Chocolate to Frosting: Slowly mix the cooled melted dark chocolate into the large batch of frosting on low speed to create a rich chocolate peanut butter buttercream. Stir by hand for smoothness.
- Pipe Frosting on Cupcakes: Pipe a generous dollop of the chocolate peanut butter frosting on each cooled cupcake. Tap gently to flatten and smooth it with an offset spatula or acetate sheet.
- Decorate Reindeer Faces: Use the peanut butter frosting to pipe a snout shape on each cupcake. Press one red and two white M&Ms into the frosting for the nose and eyes. Pipe pupils using the black frosting.
- Prepare Chocolate Antlers: Place 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips in a small piping bag and microwave until melted. Pipe 12 pairs of antlers about 1 1/2 inches long and 12 small smiles on parchment paper. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.
- Reinforce Antlers: Once firm, pipe an additional layer of melted chocolate on antlers to strengthen them. Chill again until firm.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Gently press a pair of hardened chocolate antlers into each cupcake and add a small chocolate smile to complete the face.
- Serve and Store: These cupcakes taste best fresh but can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
- The cupcake batter will be thin – this is normal and ensures moist cupcakes.
- Let the melted chocolate cool before mixing into frosting to maintain proper consistency.
- If you have a peanut allergy, substitute peanut butter with another nut butter or extra butter.
- You can use black fondant or black sprinkles if you’re uncomfortable piping eyes’ pupils.
- Accelerate cupcake cooling by placing them briefly in the freezer.
- Make sure the chocolate antlers are completely firm to prevent breakage when adding to cupcakes.
- Frosted cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or at room temperature for 1 day.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
