Chocolate Mint Cupcakes: The Recipe That’ll Make You Look Like a Baking Genius

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes: The Recipe That’ll Make You Look Like a Baking Genius

Chocolate mint cupcakes are about to become your secret weapon for impressing literally everyone.

I’m talking about moist, rich chocolate cake topped with cool, refreshing mint frosting that tastes like a grown-up version of those Girl Scout cookies you hoarded in your freezer.

Nobody needs to know these are ridiculously easy to make.

KEY INFO

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including cooling)
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Difficulty level: Easy
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, can be made vegan with simple swaps

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EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Here’s what you’ll need to pull this off:

• 12-cup muffin tin
• Paper cupcake liners
• Two mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rubber spatula
• Wire cooling rack
• Toothpick
• Piping bag with star tip (or just use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off)

Don’t have a fancy mixer?
A whisk and some elbow grease work perfectly fine.

No piping bag?
Spread the frosting with a butter knife and call it rustic.

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INGREDIENTS

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1¼ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed makes them extra dark and delicious)
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted butter if you’re fancy)
• ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk (or regular milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) hot coffee (or just hot water if you don’t have coffee—but trust me, coffee makes chocolate taste MORE like chocolate)

For the Mint Buttercream:

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (this is non-negotiable)
• 3½ cups (420g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream (or whole milk)
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (start with ¼ teaspoon and taste as you go)
• 2-3 drops green gel food coloring (optional, but it makes them look professional)

For Topping:

• 12 Andes Mints or chocolate shavings

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METHOD

1. Get your oven ready

Preheat to 350°F (180°C).

Line your muffin tin with paper liners.

This is the boring part, but it matters.

2. Mix the dry stuff

Grab your large bowl.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Make sure there are no cocoa lumps because nobody wants a mouthful of bitter cocoa powder.

3. Mix the wet stuff

In your medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.

Beat it like it owes you money—about 30 seconds should do it.

4. Combine wet and dry

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Whisk until just combined.

You’ll still see some flour streaks and that’s perfectly fine.

Overmixing makes cupcakes tough and sad, and we’re not making sad cupcakes today.

5. Add the hot coffee

Pour in that hot coffee and stir gently until smooth.

The batter will look alarmingly thin—like, “did I mess this up?” thin.

You didn’t mess up.

Thin batter = moist cupcakes.

6. Fill those liners

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups.

Fill each about ⅔ full.

An ice cream scoop works brilliantly for this if you have one.

7. Bake until perfect

Pop them in the oven for 15-18 minutes.

You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Not wet batter, not bone dry—moist crumbs.

The tops should look set and spring back when you gently press them.

8. Cool completely

Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack immediately.

Let them cool for at least 45 minutes.

I know waiting is torture, but frosting warm cupcakes creates a melted mess.

Go watch an episode of something while you wait.

9. Make the mint buttercream

Beat that softened butter with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until it’s creamy and pale.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed.

Once it’s all incorporated, add the heavy cream and peppermint extract.

Beat on high speed for 3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

Add food coloring if you’re using it and beat until the color is even.

Taste it.

Need more mint? Add another ⅛ teaspoon.

Too minty? Beat in another tablespoon of butter to mellow it out.

10. Frost like a pro

Transfer frosting to your piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Hold the bag straight up, about ½ inch above the cupcake center.

Squeeze while moving in a circle from the outside in, building up to a peak in the center.

Release pressure and pull straight up.

Or just slap it on with a knife.

Honestly, it’ll taste the same.

11. Add the finishing touch

Press an Andes Mint onto each frosted cupcake while the frosting is still soft.

Or scatter some chocolate shavings.

Or go wild with

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