Chocolate and mint is a classic flavor combination. Refreshing peppermint and rich chocolate – what could be better during the cold winter months? That combination inspired these soap cupcakes. Thanks to Pinterest, we stumbled upon these Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and knew we found the perfect design inspiration.
This project uses a combination of Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil and Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil. Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil is only used in the base of the cupcakes to account for the discoloration. A touch of brown oxide is added to the base to help even out the discoloration. Low-sweat melt and pour is used to create embed cherries and a chocolate drizzle. Cranberry seeds add the finishing touch.
Cold process soap frosting can be created in a few ways. One method involves adding cold lye water to cold oils, as shown in the Lemon Cold Process Soap Cupcakes. We found this technique is great for tall cupcake frosting, but it does involve extra prep.
The frosting is created from the same batch of soap as the base of the cupcakes. It involves less prep, but you need a good understanding of trace to find the right texture to pipe. It can get thick very quickly. If that happens, skip the frosting tip and pipe the soap with the large hole in the frosting bag.
What You Need: Click below to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!Chocolate Peppermint Soap Cupcakes Tutorial
Sphere Embeds
Small 9 Ball Silicone Mold
3 oz. LCP Clear Melt & Pour Soap Base
Red Mica
Base
Round Cupcake Silicone Mold
33 oz. Basic Quick Mix
4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
10.9 oz. Distilled Water
1 oz. Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil
Brown Oxide
Frosting
Disposable Frosting Bag
1M Frosting Tip
1 oz. Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil
4 oz. LCP Clear Melt & Pour Soap Base
Brown Oxide Color Block
Cranberry Seeds
MAKE THE EMBEDS: Chop and melt 3 oz. of LCP Clear Melt & Pour Soap Base in the microwave using 10 second bursts. Because you’re melting such a small amount of soap, use short bursts so it doesn’t burn. Add a dash of the Red Mica and use a spoon to thoroughly mix it in. Add more mica if you’d like a more saturated color. Pour the soap into each cavity of the Small 9 Ball Silicone Mold and allow to cool and harden. While the embeds cool, prep the other ingredients.
If you’ve never made cold process soap before, stop here. We highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on cold process soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including Pure Soapmaking. You can also check out the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.
COLOR PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of brown oxide into 1 tablespoon of lightweight liquid oil (like sunflower oil or sweet almond). Use a mini mixer to work out any clumps.
FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1 ounce of Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil and 1 ounce of Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil into separate glass containers. Set them aside.
MELT & POUR PREP: Chop about 4 ounces of LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base into small chunks and place in a heat-safe container. Add a chunk of the Brown Oxide Color Block. Do not melt yet, this soap will be drizzled on top of the frosting in a later step.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.
ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you prefer a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate.
TWO: Fully melt the entire bag of Basic Quick Mix until it’s completely clear and there is no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 33 ounces into your soaping bowl. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
THREE: Split off 21 ounces of the soap batter into a separate container.
FOUR: To this container of soap, add 2 teaspoons of dispersed Brown Oxide. Then add the Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil. Use a whisk to mix in the colorants and fragrance. If you still have a thin trace, use the stick blender to thicken the batter to a medium trace.
FIVE: Pour the brown soap into the cavities of the Cupcake Silicone Mold. Use a spoon to even out the soap, but don’t worry about them being perfect. They will soon be covered in soap frosting.
SIX: Add the Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil to the remaining soap batter, and use a stick blender to mix it in. If the soap is a thin to medium trace, continue stick blending until it is a thick trace. It needs to be thin enough so it’s pipeable but firm enough to hold its shape. If it’s not thickening with the stick blender, let the soap sit in the bowl for 1-2 minutes and test the texture. Continue to let it firm up until you’ve reached the texture of very thick pudding.
Spoon some of the soap into the frosting bag. Twist the end of the bag to close it. It’s time to pipe.
SEVEN: Squeeze a large dollop of frosting in the center of each cupcake.
EIGHT: Pipe the frosting up and around the center of each dollop until you form a peak. Continue until each cupcake is frosted. If you have leftover soap frosting, pipe little flowers on freezer paper to use as toppers for another batch.
NINE: Once the cupcakes are frosted, melt the LCP Soap Base in the microwave using 5 second bursts. Once melted, use a dropper or spoon to drizzle the melted soap on top of one cupcake.
TEN: Quickly, while the melt and pour is still wet, sprinkle cranberry seeds on top. Spritz with alcohol to get rid of bubbles if necessary and place a red embed on the top of each cupcake.
ELEVEN: Continue this process for each cupcake. Once each of the cupcakes are decorated, spritz them all with more alcohol to help prevent soda ash. If you live in a hot climate, you may want to place the cupcakes in the fridge for several hours to prevent the frosting from melting and losing its shape. Our area was cool, so we let the cupcakes sit at room temperature.
TWELVE: Allow the cupcakes to stay in the mold for 2-3 days. Carefully remove each soap from the mold, and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy.
- Small 9 Ball Silicone Mold
- 3 oz. LCP Clear Melt & Pour Soap Base
- Red Mica
- Round Cupcake Silicone Mold
- 33 oz. Basic Quick Mix
- 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 10.9 oz. Distilled Water
- 1 oz. Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil
- Brown Oxide
- Disposable Frosting Bag
- 1M Frosting Tip
- 1 oz. Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil
- 4 oz. LCP Clear Melt & Pour Soap Base
- Brown Oxide Color Block
- Cranberry Seeds
- Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you prefer a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate.
- Fully melt the entire bag of Basic Quick Mix until it’s completely clear and there is no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 33 ounces into your soaping bowl. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
- Split off 21 ounces of the soap batter into a separate container.
- To this container of soap, add 2 teaspoons of dispersed Brown Oxide. Then add the Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil. Use a whisk to mix in the colorants and fragrance. If you still have a thin trace, use the stick blender to thicken the batter to a medium trace.
- Pour the brown soap into the cavities of the Cupcake Silicone Mold. Use a spoon to even out the soap, but don’t worry about them being perfect. They will soon be covered in soap frosting.
- Add the Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil to the remaining soap batter, and use a stick blender to mix it in. If the soap is a thin to medium trace, continue stick blending until it is a thick trace. It needs to be thin enough so it’s pipeable but firm enough to hold its shape. If it’s not thickening with the stick blender, let the soap sit in the bowl for 1-2 minutes and test the texture. Continue to let it firm up until you’ve reached the texture of very thick pudding. Spoon some of the soap into the frosting bag. Twist the end of the bag to close it. It’s time to pipe.
- Squeeze a large dollop of frosting in the center of each cupcake.
- Pipe the frosting up and around the center of each dollop until you form a peak. Continue until each cupcake is frosted. If you have leftover soap frosting, pipe little flowers on freezer paper to use as toppers for another batch.
- Once the cupcakes are frosted, melt the LCP Soap Base in the microwave using 5 second bursts. Once melted, use a dropper or spoon to drizzle the melted soap on top of one cupcake.
- Quickly, while the melt and pour is still wet, sprinkle cranberry seeds on top. Spritz with alcohol to get rid of bubbles if necessary and place a red embed on the top of each cupcake.
- Continue this process for each cupcake. Once each of the cupcakes are decorated, spritz them all with more alcohol to help prevent soda ash. If you live in a hot climate, you may want to place the cupcakes in the fridge for several hours to prevent the frosting from melting and losing its shape. Our area was cool, so we let the cupcakes sit at room temperature.
- Allow the cupcakes to stay in the mold for 2-3 days. Carefully remove each soap from the mold, and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy.
Judy Riggs says
I have made soap for years, after reading this I would like to know if I need to cover the soap and leave it set for 24 hours
Thanks Judy
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
If the soap gets really hot the frosting can lose some of the texture or height. We recommend leaving uncovered at cool room temperature or putting it in the fridge or freezer for 5-24 hours.
Jazmin says
How many pounds of the chocolate soap base does this recipe make? If I just want to make a loaf of the chocolate soap, can I just double or triple the base recipe ingredients?
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
The base recipe makes 48.6 ounces, which is about 3 pounds. To get that number, add the oil, water, and lye amounts listed in the “Base” section above.
You can resize that recipe into whatever mold you have with our Lye Calculator. Find out how in this post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-resize-cold-process-soap-recipes/
Anna says
Thanks a lot!! Looks sooo delicious! I wonder if to pipe cold process soap frosting on top of melt&pour muffins base and let top to cure will it stick together??
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
We haven’t tried that so I’m not sure. You may want to make a small test batch to be sure.
You may also like this recipe, which is made with melt and pour frosting: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/melt-and-pour-soap/luscious-lemon-cupcakes/
deborah says
This is just what I was hoping for!! I just asked for a chocolate /cocoa like recipe and just like that!! you did it!! I’m not found of soaps that look like food BUT this is my one exception as this is a shoe in to have my daughter soap with me!! Thanks so much for unselfishly sharing your joy of soap making.. not to mention every time you post I end up rushing to buy EVERYTHING!! so, its a double win! -deborah
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
You’re welcome Deborah! Have fun making this with your daughter. Maybe she’ll get hooked on soapmaking too. 🙂
Ada says
this looks absolutely delicious. please must I use a silicone mold for this? what about a regular muffin pan?
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
You can use a regular muffin pan, but you’ll need to line it with silicone liners otherwise the soap will be really difficult to unmold. You’ll also want to make sure the pan isn’t aluminum – that can react with the lye and create toxic fumes.
Regina Workman says
I am a new soaper just getting started out. Your instructions, recipes, and tutorials are perfect for someone like me. I love how detailed everything is, and you make it look so easy. I am having so much fun being creative and learning from you. I have a question about superfat. I think it has something to do with the lye, but I’m not sure. Could you explain what superfatting is and how to use it if I ever begin to branch out to create my own recipes?
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
Absolutely. The superfat refers to leftover oils in the batch that aren’t turned into soap. They’re basically freefloating oils that add luxury and softness to your recipe. This post has more information on that: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/superfatting-soap-an-explanation-2/
We like to superfat around 5%. We find that adds luxury to the bars without making them too soft or sticky. I would recommend starting there, and then you can play around with a superfat anywhere from 2-8% to see what you think.
Also, thanks for your sweet comment. We really appreciate it.
Joan Belmont says
Hi!! I was trying to leave this comment at the “Quick Mixes” article but your system wasn’t allowing me. Anyway, I was wondering what is the recommended super fat % for the “Lots of Lather” quick mix? I’m not sure if I missed it in the article but only the SF for the other two mixes was listed. Thanks 😁
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
We usually recommend a 5% superfat for the Quick Mixes. We find that adds luxury to the bars without making them too soft or sticky.
Learn more about superfatting here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/superfatting-soap-an-explanation-2/
Sunday Night Spotlight: Quick Mixes: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/sunday-night-spotlight-quick-mixes/
Eric says
Although I probably won’t try this one, I always love seeing new soaping instructions and a lot of my soap designs are yours, or variations of yours. Thanks a million for all your instructions and recipes. By the way, I buy my soaping supplies from local vendors when I can and I buy everything else (which is the majority) from brambleberry because of this page. I really do appreciate ALL of you!
Kelsey with Bramble Berry says
Thanks Eric, we really appreciate your comments. We love sharing what we learn and seeing all the creative ways people interpret the recipes.