The best low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes
Turning delicious beverages into desserts is one of life’s many treats. I love any drink that was inspired by a dessert and vice versa! These low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes are going to be your new go-to sweet treat this holiday season! At just 83 calories a cupcake, there’s no need to stop at just 1!
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If you’d rather eat your calories instead of drinking them, these low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes are perfect for you. They’re made with a delicious chocolate sponge topped with dreamy cream cheese frosting! These cupcakes are perfect for the holiday season and at just 83 calories a cupcake, you can stick to your weight loss goals without missing out on incredible treats!
These cupcakes were inspired by my 40 calorie peppermint mocha recipe. I always love a dessert turned into a drink so why not turn drinks into desserts too! These cupcakes are also the perfect crowd pleasers for when you are hosting but want to stick to your weight loss goals. And the best part is, this recipe requires just 10 ingredients for the cupcakes AND the frosting!
This is a small batch recipe as it only makes 6 cupcakes. I hate large batch recipes, especially when I was on my weight loss journey because how do I stop myself from eating the entirety of it?? I love these small batch recipes because you can have a few and save the rest for tomorrow instead of having tons of leftovers. Plus, you can just multiply the recipe by however many servings you want if you’d like to make more than 6. Best of both worlds!
Low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes
Aside from these cupcakes being the best holiday treat ever, they are seriously so quick and easy to make. The cupcakes bake in just 15 minutes! That means you can have them from batter to belly in under 20 minutes!!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- These cupcakes bake in just 15 minutes!
- Peppermint infused into the cupcake batter and the frosting!
- Easily made in one bowl.
- Small batch recipe so overeating is unlikely.
- Require just 10 ingredients for the cupcakes AND frosting!
- Super rich, indulgent and moist peppermint cupcakes with a thick layer of creamy frosting.
- This recipe can easily be made gluten-free and vegan.
- The BEST low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes!
Ingredients
Exact ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of this page.
To make these low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes you will need:
Egg – This recipe calls for just 1 large egg. The egg provides the structure for these low calorie chocolate cupcakes.
Stevia or granulated sweetener – Any granulated sweetener will work for this recipe. Stevia is my personal favorite and is the closest in taste to sugar.
Full-fat yogurt – This recipe contains very little fat and therefore calls for full-fat yogurt. This adds moisture to the cupcakes giving them that classic soft and fluffy texture. You could use low-fat yogurt in a pinch but the cupcakes may be a little dry.
Peppermint extract – To get that peppermint flavor infused throughout the cupcake batter and the frosting.
Vanilla extract – Is it really a cupcake recipe without a little vanilla?
Self-raising flour – This recipe calls for self-raising flour as apposed to all-purpose. This is because self-raising flour contains a combination of baking soda and baking powder for the perfectly risen cupcakes. You can substitute for all-purpose flour plus 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp baking soda here.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder is the secret to getting that dark, intense chocolate flavor without any added sugars or calories. I always use Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder.
Baking powder – Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise.
Philadelphia lightest – To make the frosting you’ll need some Philadelphia lightest. It is a delicious super low calorie cream cheese that can be found in most grocery stores in the UK. I’m unsure about the availability globally so low-fat cream cheese or even better, 3% fat cream cheese is a great substitute. Use a vegan or dairy-free substitute to make this recipe vegan and dairy-free.
0 calorie icing sugar – 0 calorie icing sugar keeps the frosting sugar-free. If you don’t have any 0 calorie icing sugar to hand, regular icing sugar works too but it adds a few extra calories.
How to make these cupcakes
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Whisk together the egg and stevia until light and fluffy. Mix in the yogurt, vanilla and peppermint until well combined.
- Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until well combined.
- Using a medium ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between 6 lined cupcake molds. Bake for 15-17 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Make the frosting as the cupcakes cool by whisking together the cream cheese, peppermint extract, 0 calorie icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fit with a nozzle.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Top tips
These low calorie peppermint mocha cupcakes are about as easy to make as baking gets. They require very little skill and make the perfect quick and easy indulgent dessert this holiday season for a calorie deficit. That said, there are a few little tricks to getting these cupcakes perfectly moist, fluffy and packed with chocolaty peppermint flavor like they came straight from a bakery.
Don’t over mix the batter – When folding in the dry ingredients, do so gently. The thick egg is what gives the cupcakes volume so you don’t want to deflate them! Fold the ingredients in until the batter is well combined but try not to over do it.
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely – To avoid the frosting melting all over the cupcakes, ensure that the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting them! Leave them out for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
Don’t over-bake your cupcakes – It is so easy to accidentally over-bake these cupcakes and no one likes to be left with a dry cupcake. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with just a few crumbs. That should only be around 15 minutes.
Storage
These cupcakes are best served the day they’re made BUT they can easily be prepped for the entire week. Store these cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
MORE LOW CALORIE PEPPERMINT RECIPES…
83 Calorie Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 40 g stevia or granulated sweetener*
- 75 g full-fat yogurt or greek yogurt
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 38 g self-raising flour
- 23 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
Frosting
- 150 g Philadelphia lightest
- 2 tbsp 0 calorie icing sugar
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- mini candy canes optional
- crushed candy cane optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356°F). Line a 6-count muffin tray with 6 cupcake liners.
- Whisk together the egg and stevia until light and fluffy. Mix in the yogurt, vanilla and peppermint until well combined.
- Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until well combined.
- Using a medium ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between 6 lined cupcake molds. Bake for 15-17 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Make the frosting as the cupcakes cool by whisking together the cream cheese, peppermint extract, 0 calorie icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fit with a nozzle.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, decorate and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
