Mint Chocolate Cup Cakes by Martha Stewart

Sweet  and creamy with that lttle bit of mint. Oh, yeah you know what I'm talking about. Thank you Martha Stewart. I just have to try these.


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
Mint Buttercream ( see below)

Directions


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, water, and peppermint extract, and beat with a mixer on low speed until smooth.

2.Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in tins on wire racks for 10 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to racks, and let cool. Undecorated cupcakes will keep, covered, for 1 day, or frozen for up to 2 months.

3.Spoon buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a large, plain tip. Pipe small mounds on tops of cupcakes. Flatten mounds with an offset spatula.
 
Mint Buttercream
 
6 large eggs, separated

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 cups (12 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups chopped mint leaves

Directions

1.Follow instructions for Vanilla Buttercream, adding 2 cups chopped mint leaves with the milk and vanilla in step
2.Tint buttercream pale green.