Chocolate Chip Mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting

Mint is my favorite flavor. I think it goes very well with cream base desserts, which is why I would always pick mint on chocolate, milkshake, ice cream, booze and cakes. Mint always reminds me of my younger days chewing compulsively, deliciously on a Wrigley's gum or two. It was *the* gum then.

Sometimes we all need a reminder of something happy, something carefree and something deliciously innocent. On days like these, and I means days like when you feel like butter spread over too much bread, I like to make/bake food that reminds me of happier and carefree days.


Mint is my favorite flavor. Chocolate is my vice. I decided to make chocolate mint cupcake for tea, which turned out very nice.

Please use good mint extract for this recipe because it's worth every bit of it.

Chocolate mint Cupcakes with Minty Cream Frosting
1.5 Cups of Minty Cream Frosting (recipe to follow)
1.5 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 cup chocolate chip
1/2 cup of milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350F or 180C.
1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside for later.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add the eggs, one at a time.
3. Alternately, add the flour and milk and mix well -- half way through the flour and milk, add your chocolate chips, vanilla extract and mint extract in. Combine well and continue mixing flour and milk until it is all used up.
4. Spoon the cake mixture into cupcake mould, three quarter way full.
5. Bake in the oven for 23 minutes. Let it cool completely before spreading your fresh cream frosting on with the back of your spoon and sprinkle with some colorful sprinkles, if you wish.


Mint Cream Frosting
1 cup of cooking cream
1/2 teaspoon of mint extract
3 drops of green food coloring (0ptional)
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Method:
Combine the cream, mint extract, food coloring and powdered sugar together and whip until it creates stiff peaks. Spread over cupcakes.

This cupcake is a real pick-me-upper so do yourself a favor, have a minty cuppy cupcake ;)


P.S. Now I know the frosting is not green enough but that's my bit for St. Patrick's Day. Cheers, with Guinness and pot pies!