Sweaters & Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party's have become all the rage the last few years. I think the last three or so years we've been invited to one. This past Saturday our friends Sean and Annette had their first Ugly Sweater party, so in keeping with the theme I decided to make cupcakes that fit the occasion. I tried Googling them for other people's ideas but only came up with one!!  So I can actually say these are a "My Buns Are Done Original"!!

I was told that some of them aren't even ugly, they're cute and they would actually wear them. So let's just call them Christmas Sweater Cupcakes :)  I do love how they turned out thouugh!!

I wanted to made these Ugly Christmas Sweater Cupcakes with a festive cupcake, I choose a hot chocolate cupcake with mint buttercream frosting. I found this recipe, although it calls for peppermint bark to add as the garnish so I included it for you in case you don't want to make your own marshmallow fondant Christmas Sweaters.

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 packet Hot Chocolate mixed with 1 cup warm milk
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In bowl of stand mixer combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients: eggs, hot chocolate/milk mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla.
4. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
6. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
8. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Peppermint Buttercream and garnish with Peppermint Bark.

For the icing:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
6 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until creamy.
2. Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
3. Add milk until you reach desired consistency.
4. Add peppermint extract and mix well.
5. Place icing in piping bag fitted with a large round tip and frost cupcakes.
6. Garnish cupcakes with Peppermint Bark and white nonpareils (optional).

Peppermint Bark:
12 oz Chocolate Bark
12 oz Vanilla Bark
20 mini candy canes, crushed
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
2. Melt chocolate bark in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 15 second intervals until melted. Pour melted chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly with a spatula. Let chocolate harden for about 30 minutes.
3. Melt vanilla bark in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Continue to microwave at 15 second intervals until melted.
4. Add peppermint extract to melted vanilla and stir. Pour melted vanilla overtop of hardened chocolate and spread evenly with a spatula.
5. Sprinkle crushed candy canes ontop of candy bark.
6. Allow bark to harden for about 30 minutes before breaking into pieces. Garnish cupcakes.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!