Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Best ever chocolate cupcakes topped with mint chocolate chip frosting!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 12

Total Time 42

Servings cupcakes

Calories 420

Author Annalise Sandberg

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a regular muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk and sour cream. Stir in the sour vegetable oil, followed by the coffee and mint extract. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
Divide the batter into the muffin pan, filling each muffin tin about halfway and no more than ⅔ full. Bake until cupcakes appear set and tops bounce back when gently pressed, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cake batter.
Cupcakes can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for several weeks (thaw before frosting).

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, mix the powdered sugar, butter, salt, whipping cream, and mint extract on low speed until it starts to come together. Increase speed to high and beat for 3-4 minutes until frosting is fluffy, pausing once or twice to scrape the bowl down.
Add desired amount of food coloring and mix until smooth, stir in chopped chocolate.
Frost cooled cupcakes with the frosting as desired. Top with additional chopped chocolate. Frosted cupcakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days after baking cupcakes.

I like to use coffee in my chocolate cakes because it makes a big difference to enhance the chocolate flavor of the cupcakes. The cupcakes will not have any coffee flavor. You can use standard drip coffee or espresso cooled to room temperature, or stir 2 teaspoons of instant coffee/espresso into to ⅔ cup hot water and let cool (this is what I typically do).
Either mint or peppermint extract will work in this recipe, whatever you already have or can find at the store. The difference in flavor is minimal.
I prefer to use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring.
I prefer to chop up a semisweet chocolate bar for the chocolate bits, but you can also use chocolate chunks or mini chocolate chips. If you'd like to use a piping bag and tip to frost these cupcakes, make sure you chop the chocolate fairly finely.