Chocolate Peppermint Mini Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (7 grams) cornstarch
• 3/4 cup (63 grams) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon table salt, OR 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (107 grams) light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (227 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (6 ounces/ 170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 12 ounces (340 grams) of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups (1021 grams) powdered (confectioners) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt, OR 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 to 3 teaspoons of peppermint extract
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Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Spray the surface of a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray and line each cavity with paper liners.
2. Add the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter, vegetable oil, and both sugars. Stir with a wire whisk to combine. Add the eggs and whisk vigorously for about 20 seconds to incorporate.
4. Stir the vanilla into the buttermilk and add to the sugar and egg mixture in two additions, alternating with three additions of the flour: flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, and flour.
5. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full with batter. The batter should come nearly to the top of the paper liners. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in one of the cupcakes comes out without any raw batter on it.
6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 1 minute, then dump them out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.
7. Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on very low speed just until all the powdered sugar is moistened, then beat on high for 3-5 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
8. Frost cupcakes with a swirl of peppermint cream cheese frosting (directions for adding the red stripe are above the recipe in the text of this post). If desired, decorate with silver sprinkles and crushed candy canes.