Servings
Makes 18 large or 36 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2 cups (465 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
- 1.2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk or milk
- 1/3 cup (90 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (175 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (235 g) light brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup (85 g) chocolate mint chips, melted
Mint Frosting:
- 1 batch simple vanilla frosting
- 1 drop green food coloring
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mint extract
Garnish:
- 1/2 cup (115 g) dark chocolate sprinkles or pebbles
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, whipped
- 18 chocolate mint candies
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F or l80°C.
- Line muffin cups with paper liners.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk.
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar for about 4 minutes until creamy and light in color.
- Incorporate eggs, one at a time, beating well.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add melted chocolate-mint chips and buttermilk mixture.
- Fold in flour and beat for 1 minute or until well mixed.
- Spoon half of the batter into a plastic sandwich bag.
- Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag and fill the liners two-thirds full.
- Repeat with the remaining liners.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the baking pan and let cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, mix frosting with green food coloring and mint extract.
- Place a spoonful worth of frosting in the center of each cupcake and spread with a small spatula, making sure to cover the rounded edges
- Load a small dish with dark chocolate pebbles.
- Holding the cupcakes by the base, roll and gently press frosting-covered edges in pebbles.
- Fill up a piping bag or sandwich bag fitted with a large, open-star tip with whipped cream and create a good-size rosette atop each cupcake.
- Garnish with your favorite chocolate mint candies.