Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

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.