Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Vanilla Sprinkled Frosting and Christmas Tree Pretzel Toppers

I made these for my son’s Christmas party at his preschool and they were delicious!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes-

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup all purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup Andes Peppermint Chips

Frosting–

1 stick of butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup milk

2-4 tablespoons green colored sugar

3-4 cups confectioners sugar

¼ cup Andes Peppermint chips to sprinkle on top

Toppers-

12 pretzel sticks

Green candy melting chips

Sprinkles

Directions:

Cupcakes–

1. Line 12-16 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Add the buttermilk, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk together scraping the sides of the bowl.
5. Add the chocolate chips and peppermint chips.
6. Use a large cookie scooper to fill the muffin tins 2/3 full.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool on a wire rack.

Frosting–

1. Cream butter in a stand mixer for 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla extract and gradually add in the powdered sugar and milk in small increments until you get the desired consistency.
3. Add the colored sprinkles and mix in.
4. Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with peppermint chips.

Toppers–

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread pretzel sticks out on the baking sheet.
3. Melt the candy melts and quickly transfer to a piping bag.
4. Pipe Christmas tree designs on each pretzel and immediately top with sprinkles.
5. Let cool on the parchment paper.
6. Top each cupcake with a Christmas tree.
7. Enjoy!