AKA: “Why yes, you may have that raise” cupcake jars, or “Oh my gosh I think I love you” cupcake jars, or “Yes of course we should agree to a ceasefire, in fact let’s do dinner tonight” cupcake jars. You get my point, right? I have no other words, these are amazing. It’s like Christmas in a jar. It’s a rich fudgey cupcake filled and topped with a creamy and decadent peppermint ganache. Then topped off with a cool, sweet layer our favorite frosting (also peppermint spiked) and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. And striping the frosting is just icing on the cake! Literally. I put them in jars because that just makes them extra fun, and it’s like this great personalized little gourmet gift. It might seem like a lot of steps, but really it doesn’t take all that long. If you want to break up the load, I would suggest making the cupcake and ganache layers and then screwing the jars on and storing overnight. Then next day (or even couple of days) when your kitchen is nice and clean again just whip up some frosting and pass them out fresh.The cupcake itself is out of this world. I adapted it from a recipe in a book that both Kate and I love. I knew just looking at the recipe for the first time that it would be rich and fudgy because the ingredients and method are more along the lines of a brownie than a cupcake. Skip the electric beater on these babies, all you need is a wooden spoon.
It starts with melted butter and chocolate. How could anything that starts with melted butter and chocolate not end well?
And like I mentioned, just stir in the dry ingredients by hand. That actually makes this recipe really quick and easy, no messy beaters and butter fluffing.
Fill up your cute little jars. These are the same jars we use for our Pie in a Jar. The cupcakes will rise and you need room for both the frosting and the ganache, so fill them no more than 1/2 way full.
Pop those in the oven, and you can prepare your ganache while they’re baking. Cream. Chocolate. Peppermint. Can’t go wrong there either.
Take your cakes out to cool, and your ganache will be setting up/thickening at this point as well.
Some of your cakes may have a little well in the center which makes a great little holding spot for the ganache. You can also take a paring knife, or an apple corer works great, and hollow out the center like this:
It’s really up to you. If you don’t have a lot of space on top you might want to hollow out the center. If you’ve got room and want more of a layer of ganache on top, then skip the coring and just pour the ganache on top.
Once your cakes have cooled to close to room temp (a little warm is okay) pour ganache over each one. If your ganache has gotten too thick to pour at this point, just warm it up in the microwave in about 10 second intervals.
Then tilt the jars around so you get a complete chocolate cover. This actually helps keep the cupcake part really moist and fresh so you can wait a day or two to share them, or finish them if you don’t have time to do it all at once.
The last step is the frosting. I’m using our favorite frosting recipe. If you haven’t tried it, you need to! If you make it and love it, then you must must try it with the peppermint extract.
I’m going to show you a fun trick to getting that candy cane stripe! You’ll need gel food coloring (available in the baking isle, a clean paint brush (I keep a set just for baking/cooking) and a piping bag. This works great with parchment paper bags too (in fact, I think it sticks a little better to parchment) so if you have a tip and some parchment you can just make your own. If you don’t have anything but the food coloring you could try winging it with a large ziplock bag with the tip cut off. that would probably work just fine, it just might be a little difficult to have the food coloring stick to the bag as you’ll see in the next step.
Fold down the outer edge of your bag so it sits open by itself. Dip your brush into your food coloring and paint lines up the side of your bag. And yes, I’m completely aware that mine looks freaky- like my piping bag got attacked by a bear or something. I paint all the way down to my tip.
Then carefully add your frosting. Try to plop it in there right in the center so you don’t have to mush it around too much. As you pipe out the frosting, the color will come out in lines and you’ll get a great candy-cane stripe! (On a side-note, try this technique with rainbow colors and colorburst cupcakes- how amazing would that look?!)
Just give it a nice swirl, being careful to not go above the top of the jar, and then sprinkle some crushed candycanes on top.
Now you can place the lids and rings on and dress the jars up any way you please.
When you bust into that baby you’ll get all three layers of frosting, ganache, and cupcake.
Oh sweet peppermint fudge cupcake jar, will you marry me??
Tie on a ribbon or two and you’re set for giving.
I made some cute tags for mine.
And since I love you all I’m going to share! Note that the background is white, I just printed mine on light pink cardstock because I was out of white. Click here for a file you can print on cardstock and cut out. There’s a place to write “to” and “from” and also a little space for a note. Like maybe “You owe me.” Just an idea.
If you love this idea but don’t have jars, they make amazing cupcakes too! Love these cute papers I bought from Wilton last year.
The recipe will make about 8 jars or 12 cupcakes. And with the cupcakes you might have a little ganache left. So eat it. With a spoon.
Peppermint Fudge Cupcake Jars
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Makes approximately 8 jars or 12 Cupcakes
Cupcakes (cake base for this dessert adapted from Shelly Kaldunski)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 oz chocolate, chopped. (or abt 1/2 C chips) Use bittersweet, dark, or semi-sweet.
1/2 C + 3 Tbs real butter, cut into pieces
3/4 C plus 2 Tbs sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 8oz wide mouth mason jars (the short squatty kind)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Set mixture aside and let cool 10-15 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon (don’t use an electric mixer) stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the eggs one and a time, beating with your spoon until combined after each addition, and then beat in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture just until no traces of flour remain; do not overmix.
Place the mason jars on a cookie sheet. Divide the mixture evenly among the 8 jars (no need for greasing the jars) or 12 cupcake liners if you’re going that route. The jars should be about half full or a little less. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the jar comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully (with a pot-holder!) transfer jars to a cooling rack. Let jars cool till at least close to room temperature before topping with ganache.
Peppermint Ganache
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips are fine)
1/2 C heavy cream
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat cream in microwave until bubbles form around the outside. Pour in bowl over chocolate chips and immediately cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 5 minutes, add peppermint extract and then whisk until smooth. Let cool un-covered until thickened slightly, almost like a thin pudding.
To assemble, pour 1 1/2-2 Tbs ganache over the top of each cupcake jar. If desired, use a paring knife to first hollow out a well in the middle of the cake. Tilt jars to distribute ganache evenly over the top of the cake and then let cool for the ganache to set. If storing overnight, place lids and rings on jars and leave at room temperature.
Frosting
Use this frosting recipe, adding peppermint extract (in addition to the vanilla extract called for) at the end by 1/4 tsp to taste. I prefer at least 1/2 tsp. See instructions in the above post for creating a red and white striped look. Pipe frosting on each jar, being careful to leave room for the lid. If desired, sprinkle on some crushed candycanes and then screw on jar lids.
Click Here to print free labels for the mason jars.
Storage: Note that just because these are in jars does not mean they are shelf stable for extended periods of time. Also, baked goods are always best fresh, that being said, here are a few storage options.
When fully made, store with lids on at room temp for a day or two. If made up to the ganache step (before frosting) you can screw lids on and store in the fridge for 3-4 days, then frost right before gifting. If you’d like to fully prepare them a day or two ahead of time, I would actually reverse the filling and topping. Core out the center of the cupcakes and fill with frosting. Place the “cap” of the cupcake back over the hole and then top the entire top with ganache and a sprinkling of candycane. Store at room temp for 1-2 days or refrigerated for 3-4.
Questions & Reviews
Is it really an 8 oz jar? I tried it in that size but it’s taller than the one in your picture and I didn’t have enough filling for all 8 jars. I was thinking your pictures look more like 4 oz jars?
Love your site- it’s my go to place for all things tasty! Thanks for making the rest of us look creative when we copy you!
Yep, they are 8 ounce. Sounds like you used the tall, narrow jars and what you want are short, widemouth ones.
omg u r so creative and ur idea is amazing..i’ll try it….ty so much for sharing it with us 🙂
Wow.. these cupcakes in a jar sound awesome!! I love the way they are decorated too! I have featured these lovely cupcakes in my hub here:
http://jamiebrock.hubpages.com/hub/Frugal-Handmade-Gift-Ideas-Gifts-In-a-Jar
Thanks SO much for sharing these! This is one of the best ones I’ve found. Many blessings to you 🙂
Jamie B.
love this!!!
How do I access the printable labels? It say access denied when I click on the link. Thanks in advance. Ellen
I just made a 1/2 batch trial. ganache is delish. But, I can’t get the printable labels to work! it says access denied. am I doing something wrong? 🙁
I made these as gifts for girl friends last Christmas 2010–I was just recently asked for the recipe so I gladly sent a link to your blog. My friend notified me that the link for the labels had been disabled and was wondering if I had saved a copy … to my horror I had not!! Anyway to get this pdf from you? Thanks in advance!
Hi! I am starting my own cupcake business in South Texas and wanted to know were you got those mason jars?
I’ve found them all over- just where mason jars are sold!
Can these be stored in the freezer?
I was wanting to use your template to make labels for the lids but your link isn’t working….anyway you could email that to me or get the link to work? I’d really appreciate it! 🙂 These are amazing and such great treat gifts!!! You ladies are fabulous!!!
I made these back in December right after you posted it, twice in fact. Since my husband and I ate the whole first batch, I had to make a second batch to share with family and friends.
Tuesday night I was totally craving them. So I made them again, omitting the peppermint since its not really spring flavors. (I made them in cupcake form) and took some to work. I am a queen at work now cuz of these!!! they are my absolute favorite things ever!!!!
I am so excited to make these and the apple pie. What perfect visiting teaching gifts!
Had a hard time finding these today – couldn't find them in the index?
Thanks for this. New idea of food presentations. I love collecting jars really.
server support company nyc
I made these as Christmas gifts for my co-workers! HUGE hit! Everyone loved them. My Young Women will be making these soon for Valentines day gifts. you guys rock!
how about raspberry?
Can you give some suggestions for making these for Valentines day? Instead of peppermint. . . .
Oh no, not good for the hips this time of year…but going to make them anyway!! They look DELISH!!
A friend of mind made this for our playgroup Christmas party. OH. MY. GOSH! These were heaven! You know that cake "Better than sex"? This just took away it's title. All of us still talk about and bug her to make more. I guess I could make my own, but it's so much more fun when someone else does it.
Where do I begin? I have to say this is the best and tastiest idea ever! I didn't use wide mouth jars since the regular ones were so much cheaper.
I made sourcream cupcakes w/almond fudge ganache, and some with almond buttercream frosting and some w/caramel buttercream. Then sprinkled some crushed chocolate chips and almonds. The ganache and frosting recipes were so amazing and simple to add tsp of almond extract! They were out of this world!! Can't wait for the book! Hope it has lots of pics!!
Ohhh my! Making these TODAY! This is my new favorite blog! I want to try it ALL! 😀
Can these be frozen after being baked sans the frosting?
LaurieB in Tx
Whoops meant to say "slightly obsessing" got to love auto correct on these phones..
Oh my..words do not express..I have been slightly blessing over these in my head sense I saw the post…I started casually gathering the ingredients inthe name of potential holiday gifts..telling myself that all that hard p90x work was still going to pay off but secretly knowing that I only do it so that I can eat these yummy treats..I made these tonight you know "for my daughter's kindergarten teacher " …I don't want to sound dramatic but they are perfection and I totally get why you want to marry it….seriously..wow
Oh my..words do not express..I have been slightly blessing over these in my head sense I saw the post…I started casually gathering the ingredients inthe name of potential holiday gifts..telling myself that all that hard p90x work was still going to pay off but secretly knowing that I only do it so that I can eat these yummy treats..I made these tonight you know "for my daughter's kindergarten teacher " …I don't want to sound dramatic but they are perfection and I totally get why you want to marry it….seriously..wow
Wow, I'm really excited to try this! These look amazingly yummy & cute!! Love the swirly trick! Thanks!!
I made these tonight and they were so easy and fun. I found a "better homes and gardens" brand of the jars (box of 12) at Wal-Mart. I have to admit I didn't do the icing… I found red&white striped icing already in the tube with 2 different tips included (by Wilton) in the Christmas section at my Wal-Mart! Next time I'll do the icing too so it'll have the peppermint flavor, I promise!!
Also, I was only able to fill 6 jars with my cupcake batter (not 8). I don't know what I did wrong, but I only needed 6 for this batch anyway. I agree with Barb from a week ago… I love doing stuff like this but I am not creative, so your step-by-step instructions help me so much. Thanks a million, and keep up the good work.
I LOVE YOUR SITE!!!!
Thanks for sharing such a DELICIOUS treat! I doubled the recipe and made them for my husband's coworkers. They loved them and wanted the recipe, as I suspected they would. They turned out great and looked so festively cute, especially with the tags you made for them! Yet again another keeper from OBB! THANKS!
April, are they the short and squatty jars like in my picture? They should only be about 2" tall. If not, then you could still bake them in jars, it's just not quite as convenient to eat and the baking time might have to be adjusted a bit.
I have a question. I really want to make these. I really want to do it in the jar, however, the only 8 oz. jars I could find were the quilted pattern one. I'm nervous they are taller than what you used. Will these work? Or should I just make the cupcakes in papers?