Mint Chocolate Cupcakes are rich and moist with melty chocolate mints and fresh minty icing. They’re easy to make in just 30 minutes!
If you like this recipe for Grasshopper Cake, then you’re sure to love this perfect chocolate cupcake version of it. Make it into mini cakes for a great Dessert to serve at a party, bake sale, or get-together with no worry about slicing the cake for the crowd.
Any fan of chocolate and mint is sure to love these homemade chocolate cupcakes! Between the fresh mint frosting and deep chocolate flavor, the recipe’s chocolate to mint ratio is perfectly balanced.
There are a few key components to take regular chocolate cake to the next level for this dessert. Firstly, the frosting is made with a Classic Vanilla Buttercream Recipe, except the vanilla is swapped for mint. It’s an easy change that makes a huge difference in taste. The minty flavor doesn’t stop there because you’ll also mix chocolate mint candies throughout the batter for ultimate mint chocolate deliciousness.
Another important component in the best chocolate cake recipe is to mix in espresso powder. The coffee flavor enhances the taste of the chocolate for an extra rich base. Then the combination of oil and melted butter makes it rich, buttery, and so moist.
Classic Chocolate Mint Cupcakes are perfect to serve for St. Patrick’s Day. The green food coloring in the frosting makes them adorable and festive. They’re sure to be a huge hit with kids and adults alike! Serve them up with mint chocolate chip ice cream for even more green theme fun.
More Cupcake Recipes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Rainbow Cupcakes with Vanilla Cloud Frosting
M&M’s Stuffed Easy Vanilla Cupcakes
Gluten Free Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Tips for Making Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep: To start, preheat the oven and line the muffin tin with cupcake liners, so they’re ready to go once you combine the ingredients.
- Batter: Chop the mint candies into pieces, and set them to the side. Then melt the butter in the microwave. Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, melted butter, canola oil, and water to your stand mixer. Turn the electric mixer on until it’s combined into one cocoa mixture. Be careful not to overmix the oil and flour mixture. Only stir until the dry ingredients are just combined into the wet ingredients. Mix in the eggs, then the vanilla and milk. Beat until the batter is smooth. Then stir in the chopped Andes mints.
- Bake: Use an ice cream scoop to scoop cake batter into muffin cups so that they’re each 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick or butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool while you make the frosting.
- Frosting: Add powdered sugar, butter, and mint extract to the mixing bowl. Stir at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the milk in 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to add milk until it reaches a nice spreadable consistency. Add 1 drop of food coloring at a time until you achieve the desired color. Transfer the icing into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.
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Variations on Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
- Frostings: There are different kinds of frostings you can use on the rich chocolate cake. Instead of buttercream frosting, try a more Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting with cream cheese and sour cream.
- Sugars: If you don’t want to bake with granulated sugar you can use other kinds of sugars like brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
- Toppings: You can add crushed candy mints, mini chocolate chips, Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or large grain sugar for decorative toppings.
- Chocolate: If you don’t have Andes mints, you can use regular semisweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips in the recipe. To make it so they are still a nice mint flavor, add a couple of drops of mint extract to the cupcake batter.
- Peppermint Cupcakes: To make a more seasonal recipe during the holidays, exchange the mints for peppermint. Use 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and red food coloring in the icing. You can also replace the Andes mints with crushed candy canes.
More Mint Desserts
Mint Chocolate Covered Oreos
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mint Oreo Bark
Chocolate Mint Brownies
How to Store Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
- Serve: You can leave these rich chocolate cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Store: To extend the shelf-life, put them in an airtight container to keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: You can also seal and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mint chocolate candies , chopped
Mint Buttercream Frosting:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter , softened
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- 4-6 drops green food coloring
- 1/4 cup whole milk , additional if necessary
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tray with liner cups.
- Add to a stand mixer the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, melted butter, canola oil, water and turn on the beater until just combined.
- Add in the eggs until just combined, then add in the milk and vanilla beating until smooth.
- Stir in mint chocolate candies.
- Using an ice cream scoop fill the cups 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
Mint Buttercream Frosting:
- To your stand mixer add the powdered sugar, butter and mint extract on medium speed until light and fluffy then add in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting can be spread easily with a spatula.
- Add in the color until it reaches the color green you like, one drop at a time while on medium speed.
Nutrition
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