Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Mint + chocolate = heaven.
Texture: The cupcake is crazy moist while the frosting is lusciously smooth.
Ease: Super easy! The cupcake batter is very simple to whip up, as is the frosting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Fabulous dessert for any occasion – especially for St. Patrick’s Day.
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These Mint Chocolate Cupcakes prove that chocolate and mint simply belong together.
My mint-chocolate obsession started at a young age, selling Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies around my neighborhood with my dad.
I wonder how much being a Girl Scout taught me about entrepreneurship now that Handle the Heat has been my full-time business for years?! Kind of crazy to think about.
All roads lead back to chocolate… and cookies 😉
If you love mint chocolate as much as I do, you’ll also love my decadent Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake and easy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. As perfect for Christmas as they are for St. Patrick’s Day!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
The Chocolate
The cupcakes contain chopped bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa powder for as much chocolate flavor as possible. I haven’t tried a different baking chocolate in these cupcakes. More on the cocoa powder just below.
Do I Have to Use Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder?
Yes – Dutch-process cocoa works differently on a chemical level than regular natural cocoa. The vinegar in this recipe plays a crucial part in this recipe.
You can find Dutch-processed cocoa in some grocery stores, as well as kitchen stores like Sur la Table, and Williams-Sonoma. You can also order on Amazon.
Learn more about the differences between cocoa powders here.
Oil vs. Butter in Cupcakes: Which Is Better?
This recipe calls for vegetable oil instead of melted butter. Here’s why:
- Oil gives the palate the sensation of moistness because it’s liquid at room temperature (even though it has no water content!).
- Be sure to use fresh vegetable oil. Give it a sniff before using it to make sure it doesn’t have any ‘off’ aroma.
- Feel free to use melted coconut oil instead of vegetable oil if you’d prefer.
- Learn more about Butter vs. Oil in Baking here.
The Peppermint Flavor
Be sure to use peppermint extract in both the batter and buttercream frosting. Do not use mint or spearmint extract unless you want your cupcakes to taste like toothpaste!
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting Tips
- Feel free to adjust the powdered sugar or cream slightly until your preferred consistency is reached.
- If using food coloring, I recommend using gel coloring. It allows you to use just a small amount for an intense color.
- I like the Americolor brand the best, but Wilton gel food coloring works too.
- Start with a TINY amount and add more as you blend, if needed. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out!
How to Decorate Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Here’s the fun part! Feel free to get creative with piping tips and garnishes. Green sprinkles are what we chose. If you’re making these cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day, gold sprinkles, gold chocolate coins, or shamrock sprinkles would be perfect.
If you’re making these Mint Chocolate Cupcakes for Christmas, sprinkle with some crushed candy canes or these adorable tiny candy cane sprinkles. You could even use one of my super simple techniques for swirling frosting to make red + white candy stripes with the buttercream.
For more flavor feel free to garnish with chocolate shavings, Andes mints, or even Thin Mint Cookies.
How to Store Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Store Mint Chocolate Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for 3 days.
More Chocolate Recipes:
- Chocolate Blackout Cupcakes (for serious chocolate lovers only)
- The Best Chocolate Cupcakes
- Ultimate Nutella Cupcakes
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
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Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (28 grams)
Dutch-processed cocoa powder (do not substitute) - 1/2 cup boiling water
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) sour cream or full fat plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs plus one egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract*
For the mint frosting
- 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 8 ounces (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
peppermint extract * depending on desired intensity - 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Green gel food coloring , if desired- 6 Sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or Andes mints, for garnish
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with foil or paper liners.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, add the chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over mixture. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth then set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda.
- Whisk sour cream, oil, eggs, egg yolk, vinegar, and peppermint extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth, being careful not to overmix.
- Using a spring-loaded scoop, divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Make the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes, or until the mixture is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the salt, peppermint extract, and cream and beat on medium for 1 minute, or until light and creamy, adding more cream if needed. Add in green gel food coloring, if desired, and beat until evenly colored.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto each cupcake. Decorate with desired garnish. Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for 3 days.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated with new photos, weight measurements, and recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Hi Tessa, Tempting, fabulous cap cakes , specially the mint frosting.
Can I use almond milk instead of the heavy cream
I was wondering if I can use canola oil instead of vegetable oil.
I absolutely love this recipe! I messed up the measurements a little bit but both the cupcakes and icing still turned out amazing!
They tasted amazing, however, they didn’t look too good- but that’s my fault. This is a great recipe.
Can I use this batter for a cake instead?
Wow my favorite i love chocolate mint and i just made them now hmmmm yummy i love them thanks for the recipe
I just made these to bring into work tomorrow. The batch size gave me 14 cupcakes (whew just enough for my crew), but I will be making these again and doubling it! I made a few changes to the cupcake: did 50:50 vanilla and mint extract, so 1/2 tsp each, and instead of plain boiling water I did 1/2 cup HOT coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor and add a little acidity for the baking soda to fluff up the cake (I’m a chemist, what can I say). I didn’t use the frosting recipe, instead I did my own buttercream frosting with vanilla and mint. I think these will be a big hit! I like the chocolate cake better than other recipes I’ve tried, will definitely use it as a base for other flavors….mmm chocolate and orange.
Thank for a great and easy cupcake recipe!
I am newer to baking from scratch, the flavor and texture is wonderful for the cake. I did run into issues with my frosting. It seemed to be way too liquid, when I put it on the cake is just slide off. Cupcakes where not hot. Did I not mix frosting long enough?
My almost 3 year old son fell in love with mint chocolate chip ice cream and asked for mint chocolate chip cupcakes for his birthday party. Having never seen or eaten such a cupcake I didn’t even know were to begin! I’m so glad I found this recipe! These were amazing!! I got so many compliments on them at the party today! Thanks so much for sharing!
That makes me so happy to hear, Amanda! 🙂
Worries unfounded. They came out perfect
Halfway through making this and pretty nervous about how thin the batter got after I added the water. Crossing fingers!
I just finished these and like other comments above it only yielded 15 cupcakes. The cupcakes are wonderful and moist! But the frosting is a different story it was much too thin and not impressive tasting. I would suggest a cream cheese frosting instead.