Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
From ManicMother on Tasty Kitchen
FOR CUPCAKE BATTER
2 cups White Sugar
1-¾ cup All-purpose Flour
¾ cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
1-½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Milk
½ cups Vegetable Oil
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¾ cups Boiling Water
FOR GANACHE (from Cupcake Bakeshop):
6 ounces (170 grams) Valrhona 85% cacao (or any bittersweet chocolate)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
FOR FROSTING:
½ cups shortening
½ cups Unsalted Butter
3-¾ cups Confectioner's Sugar
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Clear Imitation Vanilla Extract
1-½ teaspoon Mint Extract
3 ounces, fluid Heavy Whipping Cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
FOR THE BATTER
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 min. Stir in the boiling water. Batter will be thin. Pour into cupcake liners (about 3/4 full). Bake 12-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
FOR THE GANACHE
Chop chocolate and transfer into a heat proof bowl. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined. Add vanilla and salt. Stir until combined. Let cool until at spreading consistency.
FOR THE FROSTING
To make the frosting, mix together the shortening and butter, until smooth. Add powder sugar, mix well. Add salt, vanilla, mint extract, and whipping cream blend on low speed until moistened. You can add more powder sugar for a firmer frosting. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.
Using a pastry bag, pipe the frosting on top of the ganache (if you don’t have a pastry bag, fill a Ziploc and cut a tip.) Yields 2 dozen cupcakes.