Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

I was just in the mood to bake today and ended up with six GIANT amazing cupcakes!  Man or man, does my house smell good!  I found this recipe is from simplyrecipes.com and used my own buttercream frosting recipe!  I bet you will want more than just one!

Cupcake Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract



I used a peeler to make the chocolate
curls on top!

• 1/2 cup sour cream

Cupcakes

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners. Use a double boiler or add an inch or two of water to a medium sized saucepan and place a metal bowl over it, bringing the water to a simmer. Add butter (cut into chunks), chocolate, cocoa to the bowl. As the butter and chocolate melt, whisk until the ingredients are well combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.

2 In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

3 In a large bowl (can use a mixer), beat the eggs. Add the salt, the sugar, the mint extract and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the chocolate butter mixture and beat until combined.

4 Add in half of the sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in the sour cream. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.

Or a fresh piece of mint from the
garden will do!

5 Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Place in oven in middle rack. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6 Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Then gently remove cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely before frosting.

Makes 12 small cupcakes or 6 large cupcakes. (of course I made the LARGE cupcakes :) )

Buttercream Frosting

• 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 squirt of green food coloring
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1 In an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk, vanilla and mint extract and a squirt of green food coloring.

2 Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Taste and add more vanilla/mint extract if it isn't minty enough for you, or powdered sugar if it isn't sweet enough for you.