Why they’re so good!
These chocolate mint cupcakes are everything they should be and more. With a super tender and moist chocolate cupcake base (best ever IMO), a peppermint chocolate ganache and a swirl of creamy peppermint buttercream on top, they’re a choc-mint lovers dream.
Starting from the bottom, I just adore this cupcake recipe. It’s my favourite hands down because it’s just so seriously easy, has all the chocolate flavour, and the most amazing texture. There is no waiting for butter to soften, and hence no creaming of butter and sugar. These chocolate cupcakes use melted butter but it not only makes the mix easy, it also keeps the cupcakes supremely moist.
You could try these with this wonderful Swiss meringue buttercream too.
Table of contents
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Ingredients notes
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
For these choc mint cupcakes, you’ll find all the ingredients are fairly simple. Use unsalted butter. You could use mint chocolate chips in the ganache but may need to adjust the peppermint extract. Make sure the buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature. You can use either unsweetened cocoa or dutch processed cocoa. If you’re feeling colourful, feel free to add a little gel green food coloring to the mint frosting.
How to make mint chocolate cupcakes
These mint chocolate cupcakes start with my my never-fail chocolate cupcakes. It’s also a recipe that works well as a cake so I’ve used this recipe over and over again. For instance my blackberry chocolate cake and my salted caramel chocolate cupcakes.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. The chocolate mint ganache
Making the choc mint ganache is a simple process of adding scalding cream, flavoured with peppermint extract, over finely chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a minute to soften before stirring to a glossy ganache. This needs to cool before you add it to the inside of the cupcakes.
2. The cupcakes: dry ingredients
Onto the super quick chocolate cupcake recipe. Just start by mixing the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. The wet ingredients
Now combine the melted butter and sugars before adding eggs and vanilla extract. The melted butter is what makes these so super quick but still loaded with flavour.
4. Add them together
Now, alternate between the dry and wet ingredients to create the chocolate cupcake batter. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture, stirring it in until just combined. Next, add half the buttermilk and stir it in. Repeat that process 3 more times – flour, buttermilk, flour – each time stirring until only just combined. You don’t want to overmix the batter or you could end up with tough cupcakes.
5. Bake the cupcakes
With the cupcake batter ready you can bake the cupcakes. I use a medium ice cream scoop / large cookie scoop to evenly portion the batter between the holes of a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. I’ve used my silicone muffin pans here but it works equally well in a metal pan and will cook 2-3 minutes quicker.
You may notice there is no peppermint extract in the cupcake base and this is because I particularly wanted both the chocolate and peppermint flavours present without one overwhelming the other. I’d call the flavour of the peppermint (that comes just from the ganache and the frosting) subtle-but-there when you take a full bite of the cupcake. If you want the flavour stronger, feel free to add mint extract to the cupcakes too.
6. The mint buttercream frosting
If you’ve been round these parts before, you know my undying love for ermine frosting. Also known as boiled milk buttercream and cooked flour buttercream it is silky smooth and has just the right hint of sweetness as opposed to the sometimes sickeningly sweet powdered sugar buttercream (known as American buttercream or ABC).
Ermine buttercream starts by cooking a paste of flour and milk, but stick with me. That paste is what makes this buttercream end up with whipped cream like texture. It also means you can cut down on sugar which is often used to stabilise buttercream and it will hold its shape in warmer temps than a pure standard buttercream. It is best served fresh.
It’s easiest to make with a stand mixer but an electric mixer can certainly be used too.
7. Assembling the cupcakes
You’ll start to assemble your chocolate mint cupcakes by cutting the core out of each (making sure to leave the base intact). I use a cupcake corer but a sharp paring knife will work just as well. Just top that with a little bit of the cutout cupcake and eat the rest of it (cooks treat).
Fill that hole with some peppermint ganache then pipe a swirl of peppermint buttercream on top.
Storage
Store your choc mint cupcakes in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, letting them come to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the cupcakes (in an airtight container) for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight is best.
FAQ’s
There are a number of ways you can achieve beautifully moist chocolate cupcakes like these. Oil is often used to keep cupcakes moist. In these ones, it’s a combination of buttermilk and brown sugar, and a not too high ratio of dry ingredients that keep them moist.
Oops! If you overbake your cupcakes and make them dry, you don’t need to throw them in the bin. Instead, use a filling that’s got some moisture in it or add a syrup to the top.
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Did you try this chocolate mint cupcakes recipe? Show it some love in the comments below.
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Ingredients
For the Peppermint ganache
- 50 g dark (50-70%) chocolate (¼ cup)
- 75 ml thickened cream (heavy cream)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cupcakes
- 130 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 cup / 4½oz)
- 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (⅓ cup / 1½oz)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 113 g unsalted butter, melted (½ cup / 4oz / 1 stick)
- ½ cup caster sugar (100g / 3 ½oz)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed (100g / 3 ½oz)
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk (180ml)
For the peppermint ermine buttercream
- 1 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar) (200g / 7oz)
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup plain flour (all purp flour0 (33g / 1.2oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 230 g unsalted butter, softened (1 cup / 2 sticks / 8oz)
- Pinch cooking sea salt (kosher salt)
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Silicone muffin trays or regular muffin tray
Instructions
- THE PEPPERMINT GANACHEFinely chop the chocolate, place in a bowl then set aside.
- In a small saucepan, mix together the cream and both extracts. Heat over low heat until it starts to bubble.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate then let it sit for 5 minutes before gently stirring it all together until smooth.
- Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to cool and firm up a little.
- THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKESPreheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced) / 350°F and line your muffin tins with paper cases
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well to combine.
- In a separate large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time and beating well after each. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir through gently until just combined. Now add half of the buttermilk,
- Mix gently again. Continue like this until all the flour and buttermilk is combined… just. It is important not to overmix or be too heavy handed otherwise your cupcakes will turn out dense and tough.
- Fill the cupcake cases only to about half full. Bake in the oven for around 18-20 minutes, turning the pan around in the oven half way through to make sure they bake evenly. When a skewer inserted comes out with just a crumb or two, they are done.
- Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely before proceeding
- THE PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAMIn a small saucepan whisk together the milk, flour, half the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Heat over low heat for 5-6 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens to a very thick paste. It's thick enough when you can see the lines of the whisk in the paste and the smell of uncooked flour has disappeared.
- Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic wrap is touching the paste (this will stop the top from forming a skin), then place in the fridge to cool completely.
- Once the milk paste is completely cool, beat together the butter and remaining sugar until really creamy (about 5 minutes). Make sure to regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the milk / flour paste, salt and peppermint extract and beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes. If it looks like it separates at the start, don't worry, keep on beating and it will beat up into an almost whipped cream consistency.
- TO ASSEMBLE:Use a sharp knife or a cupcake corer, to cut a hole in the top of each cupcake.
- Fill each hole with about ½ – 1 teaspoon of ganache (not too much as it's very rich). Top the ganache with a little bit of the cupcake offcuts to seal it in.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and pipe in a big swirl on top of each cupcake.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- All ovens vary – always test for doneness 2-3 minutes before the recipe suggests.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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10 Comments on “Chocolate Mint Cupcakes”
Hi there I am wanting to make your chocolate caramel and peppermint cupcakes.
Do you think I could half the filling of each recipe and buttercream?
Hi Mel, yes, you can easily halve the filling and buttercream on those.
I love chocolate and mint together! These cupcakes look so delicious and I love how easy they are to make!
Me too! Thanks so much Natalie
These cupcakes remind me of After Eight Chocolates! I love the combo of chocolate and mint. These cupcakes look perfectly fluffy and delicious.
Thanks so much Marie. I guess they are a bit like After Eights in cupcake form 🙂
Chocolate and peppermint are good friends 😉 These look amazing!! I wish I could sink my teeth into one!
Thanks so much Katherine. Chocolate and peppermint are definitely buddies. 🙂
Hi,
Looks a sensationl recipe but can you please tell me where do you buy your peppermint extract from?
Regards from Brisbane,
Angela
Hi Angela, I buy it just in my local supermarket in the cake section. If you can’t get extract, essence will work just fine. Just taste as you go until you get the desired hit of peppermint. Happy Baking 🙂