Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

My sister-in-law’s birthday was yesterday and I decided to make her these yummy chocolate cupcakes with peppermint buttercream frosting.  These chocolate cupcakes are moist and have the slightest hint of peppermint.  The frosting is creamy goodness with more of that peppermint flavor that everyone loves around this time of year.  I decided to sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on half the cupcakes and then pipe the frosting on the other half.  Unfortunately, my sister-in-law had car trouble and wasn’t able to come out to eat her treats, but hopefully tonight she’ll be enjoying these goodies.  These cupcakes are delicious and boast the perfect flavor combination for the holiday season.  Enjoy! 

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup  flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 whole large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp peppermint extract

Peppermint Buttercream

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• Red food coloring (2-3 drops)
• Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and the water until the cocoa powder is dissolved and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
4. In another bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar and beat in the whole egg and the egg yolk, beating until the mixture is combined well.
5. Beat in the cocoa mixture alternately with the flour mixture, beating well after each addition, divide the batter among 12 paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins.
6. Bake the cupcakes, in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
7. Turn the cupcakes out onto a rack and let them cool completely.

For the peppermint frosting:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup of powdered sugar and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and well-blended.
2. Slowly incorporate another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and add the milk and peppermint extract and mix until smooth, about a minute.
3. Add additional powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time if needed to reach appropriate consistency.
4. Add 2-3 drops of red food coloring and mix until incorporated.
5. Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe frosting on tops of cooled cupcakes.
6. Top cupcakes with mini chocolate chips.

*Makes 12 cupcakes