Peppermint Crisp Cupcakes

As a kid did you ever suck milk through a peppermint crisp chocolate? I remember first licking the milk chocolate off both ends of the bar and then dunking it straight into milk and using the mint as a straw. Mmm…

Although these cupcakes aren’t milky in any way, tasting them brought back memories of the dunking / sucking process.

Isn’t it wonderful how a certain smell or taste can do that?

These cupcakes are delectably moist and super pepperminty.

Chocolate cupcakes - Makes 24 regular sized cupcakes or 18 BIG cupcakes.

(this recipe is my all-time favourite go to for the moistest, tastiest chocolate cupcakes – original here)

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)

1 cup boiling water

Directions

• Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 180C
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for one minute.
• Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
• Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
• Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
• Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Choc Mint Frosting

(original recipe here)

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter
½ cup cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
85g semi sweet chocolate, grated

Directions

• Grate the chocolate and set aside (I would not recommend chocolate chips, as they will be a bit too chunky).  
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
• Add cream cheese, and continue to beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
• Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time (while mixing). 
• Continue mixing, and add vanilla and 1 teaspoon of mint extract.  Once incorporated, stop mixer and taste frosting for minty-ness.  Decide if you’d like to add an additional 1/2 teaspoon mint.
• Add 1 or 2 drops of green food coloring and blend until fully incorporated.
• Add most of the chopped chocolate, reserving about 1/3 of it for garnish.  Beat just until incorporated.
• I originally tried to pipe the icing onto my cupcakes but because of the chocolate bits my piping tip kept getting jammed. (I actually exploded an old piping bag as I tried to just squeeze through the blockage, which resulted in the icing exploding – literally – out through the bag seams. A very tasty mess all over my hands and counter!)
• Ice the cupcakes (you choose your method – you’ve been warned) and sprinkle with chocolate bits. Enjoy!