Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

[Jerryanne]

Photo by Southern Living


MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES
(Source: Southern Living's Big Book of Cupcakes)

CUPCAKES:
1 c.. Dutch process cocoa
2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. superfine sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 c. all-purpose soft-wheat flour (White Lily) or cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chocolate extract
Paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
1 c. whipping cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

MINT FROSTING:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops green liquid food coloring
1/8 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) pkg. confectioners' sugar

TOPPINGS:
1 c. crumbled thin creme de menthe chocolate mints

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the cupcakes, combine cocoa and 2 c. boiling water in a large heatproof bowl, stirring until blended and smooth; cool completely.

Beat butter with a mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate extract.

Place paper baking cups in (2) 12 cup muffin pans; coat with cooking spray. Spoon batter into cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely.

For the ganache, cook cream in a heavy non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until it begins to steam (do not boil); remove from heat.

Place chocolate in a glass bowl; slowly add hot cream to chocolate, beating with a whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is well blended. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Makes about 2 cups.

Fill each cupcake with Chocolate Ganache. To fill cupcakes, insert the end of a wooden spoon or dowel into the center of the cupcake to make a hole. Fill a zip-top plastic freezer bag with filling or frosting. Use scissors or kitchen shears to snip about 1/4" from one corner of the bag; insert bag into the hole in the cupcake. Squeeze gently until filling comes to the top of each cupcake.

For the frosting, beat butter, whipping cream, peppermint extract, food coloring and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating at low speed until blended; beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Makes 3 cups.

Frost each cupcake with Mint Frosting. Top each with crumbled chocolate mints. Makes 24.

[Christine Mlinek]

I like the ganache on this one.