After Eight Cupcakes
1-1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tea. baking powder
1 tea. salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup half-and-half
Few drops of mint extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or mini mint chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together; set aside
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and half-and-half. Add a few drops of mint extract to batter and mix well.
4. Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over cupcakes and bake for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and cool.
Mint Butter Cream Frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp, cut into pieces
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
Few drops of mint extract
Green food coloring (optional)
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk and mint extract and mix well. You may want to add more or less milk. Add food coloring if you wish. Spread over cooled cupcakes and set in a cool place until frosting hardens.
Chocolate Ganache:
5 oz. high-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
12 Junior Mints
1. Place chocolate and cream in a double boiler or a microwave and heat until cream is warm to the touch and the chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat and stir until all of the chocolate has melted and the mixture is homogeneous. Remember – you don’t want to cook the chocolate, just melt it. Cool slightly and drip over cupcakes. Place a Junior Mint on each cupcake.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Recipe credit: “Cupcakes Galore” by Gail Wagman [1]