Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

In the chocolate cupcake battle between fresh spearmint and bottled peppermint extract, so far the peppermint mint extract is winning. “It’s sort of like a thin mint, reincarnated as a cupcake,” I declared to Garrett, about the peppermint extract version, frustrated that my spearmint experiments weren’t working as well.

“A thin mint cupcake? I would SO eat that!” countered Garrett.

We grow a lot of spearmint, so if I could come up with a recipe for a mint chocolate cupcake that would put a lot of this mint to good use, that would be great. But after several experiments, I must simply declare that peppermint extract is the winner. Not only is it much easier to work with, but the flavor just pairs better with chocolate than spearmint.

These peppermint chocolate mint cupcakes, flavored with mint extract, really do taste like a cupcake version of thin mints. I’ve given all of the ones I’ve made away because after eating half a dozen of these addictive cakelettes, I just can’t eat any more.

I may try my hand again in the summer when there is plenty of mint growing, and zucchini, and do a chocolate zucchini mint cupcake version of our chocolate zucchini cake. But until then, here’s the thin-mint version, enjoy!

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes Recipe

Cupcake recipe is adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe for dark chocolate cupcakes. If you would like to frost the cupcakes, I've included two recipes for a mint-flavored frosting. The butter cream version is quite sweet, the cream cheese version is a little less sweet and has a tang from the cream cheese.

Ingredients

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 peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Optional Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature (1 stick, 4 ounces)
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Optional Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 Tbps butter, room temperature (1/2 stick, 2 ounces)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)

• Fresh mint for garnish

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