I've mentioned before that I "stress bake" and the week before Spring Break has had me in the mood to get my bake on :) This week it was mint chocolate cupcakes that were a HUGE HIT at my house.
Here's what you'll need...
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 9 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
- Andes mint candies
Step 1- Mix your boiling water in with the cocoa powder. Immediately refrigerate so that it can have time to cool completely.
Step 2 - Beat together the butter and sugar. It may end up looking a little "crumbly"... that's ok! After the butter and sugar are combined, add the eggs one at at time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 3 - In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this flour mixture to the sugar/butter mixture along with the apple sauce. Beat in the cooled cocoa mixture.
Step 4 - Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and prepare your cupcake tins with spray or liners. I only use these parchment baking cups because they are AWESOME and I've never had anything stick to them. Fill the liners 3/4 of the way full (for me it was about 1/4 cup of batter in 16 cupcake liners) and bake for 16-18 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). I baked mine for 18 minutes and they were perfection!
While the cupcakes cool you can prepare the icing. I played with the original recipe because let's be honest - the mint chocolate icing is the star of the show and I like a significant amount of it on my cupcakes :) Here's what I ended up doing...
Step 5 - Beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar and whipping cream until light and fluffy. Add in as much or as little peppermint extract as you like. I just added a few drops, whipped it together, tasted it and then added a couple more. Depending on how minty you want it will determine how much to add. A little does go a LONG way though so start out on the conservative side :) Once you have it to your desired level of mintiness, stir in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula (not the stand mixer because sometimes that will break the chips).
I like to pipe mine onto my cupcakes using a super fancy gallon ziplock bag and then I added some chopped up Andes mint candies on top.
These were SO SO SO GOOD! Everyone in my house looooves mint chocolate and if you have a mint chocolate lover in your life these are a must-make :)
Happy Thursday, friends!!!
Here's what you'll need...
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 9 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- peppermint extract
- 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
- Andes mint candies
Step 1- Mix your boiling water in with the cocoa powder. Immediately refrigerate so that it can have time to cool completely.
Step 2 - Beat together the butter and sugar. It may end up looking a little "crumbly"... that's ok! After the butter and sugar are combined, add the eggs one at at time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 3 - In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this flour mixture to the sugar/butter mixture along with the applesauce. Beat in the cooled cocoa mixture.
Step 4 - Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and prepare your cupcake tins with spray or liners. Fill the liners 3/4 of the way full (for me it was about 1/4 cup of batter in 16 cupcake liners) and bake for 16-18 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). I baked mine for 18 minutes and they were perfection!
Step 5 - Beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar and whipping cream until light and fluffy. Add in as much or as little peppermint extract as you like. I just added a few drops, whipped it together, tasted it and then added a couple more. Depending on how minty you want it will determine how much to add. A little does go a LONG way though so start out on the conservative side :) Once you have it to your desired level of mintiness, stir in the mini chocolate chips with a spatula (not the stand mixer because sometimes that will break the chips).
Step 6 - Pipe your icing onto COMPLETELY COOLED cupcakes and top with chopped Andes mint candies.
These look amazing!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad I’m not the only one who “ stress bakes”
I've colored the icing green and stuck a {chocolate} gold coin on top for St. Paddy's Day before.
ReplyDeleteI love it.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
I am going to pin these :) These look so good! We love anything mint + chocolate.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, these look so amazing!
ReplyDeleteI want one for breakfast, lol!!
ReplyDelete