These Chocolate Mint Cupcakes are going to be your new favorite dessert. A rich and decadent chocolate cupcake is topped with the fluffiest mint buttercream and the most beautiful chocolate drizzle. The cupcakes are soft and moist while the buttercream has just the right amount of minty-ness to compliment them.

There are three basic elements for these cupcakes: the chocolate cupcake, the mint buttercream, and the chocolate drizzle.
You'll work on baking the chocolate cupcakes first and get started on that mint buttercream and chocolate drizzle while the cupcakes bake. Once the cupcakes have cooled you can decorate each with that beautiful swirl of buttercream and zig zag chocolate drizzle.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
- Room Temperature Ingredients:
- Butter: It’s important that the butter for both the cakes and frosting is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
- Egg: You also want to make sure that the egg is at room temperature to ensure that it is properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave it out before you start baking, place it in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until it becomes room temperature.
- Measuring Your Ingredients:
- I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
- However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
- Oven Temperature:
- Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
- I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.
Now let's bake! Preheat oven to 350º F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed. Add vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, carefully scoop 2 tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and split the remaining batter among the cupcakes until they look even. Bake for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the pan cool on the cooling rack for 15 minutes before gently pulling the cupcakes out of the pan and letting them cool completely on the cooling rack.
Place the chopped chocolate in a heat safe bowl. Place the heavy cream in a smaller heat safe bowl and microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring in between until the cream is hot. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until combined. Reheat for 10 seconds if the chocolate isn't fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar and a drop of green food coloring. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add in another drop of food coloring if needed. Chill frosting until needed.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut out the center of each cupcake about ¾ of the way down. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut out the center of each cupcake about ¾ of the way down. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.
Let your buttercream come closer to room temperature if it's been in the fridge for a while. Scoop the mint buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or similar piping tip. Starting at the outside rim of the cupcake, begin to pipe the frosting in a clockwise motion, moving to the center until you have covered the entire top in a beautiful swirl design. Repeat this with the remaining cupcakes.
Drizzle each cupcake with the remaining chocolate ganache. If your ganache is too thick, carefully transfer to a small bowl and reheat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds before adding to a new piping bag. Enjoy!
PrintChocolate Mint Cupcakes
These Chocolate Mint Cupcakes are going to be your new favorite dessert. A rich and decadent chocolate cupcake is topped with the fluffiest mint buttercream and the most beautiful chocolate drizzle. The cupcakes are soft and moist while the buttercream has just the right amount of minty-ness to compliment them. Plus, this recipe is small batch!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 48 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 135 grams (1 cup, 2 tbsp) flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 31 grams (¼ cup, 2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 75 grams (5 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 148 grams (¾ cup) sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 84 grams (¼ cup, 2 tbsp) buttermilk
- 3 oz (¼, 2 tbsp) freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Drizzle
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 113 grams (½ cup) heavy cream
Mint Buttercream
- 4 oz (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 340 grams (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 28 grams (2 tbsp) heavy cream
- 1 ½ tsp peppermint extract
- Green food coloring
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed. Add vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk.
- Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, carefully scoop 2 tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and split the remaining batter among the cupcakes until they look even.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool on the cooling rack for 15 minutes before gently pulling the cupcakes out of the pan and letting them cool completely on the cooling rack.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heat safe bowl.
- Place the heavy cream in a smaller heat safe bowl and microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring in between until the cream is hot.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until combined. Reheat for 10 seconds if the chocolate isn't fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Mint Buttercream
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar and a drop of green food coloring.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Add in another drop of food coloring if needed.
- Chill frosting until needed.
Assembly
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut out the center of each cupcake about ¾ of the way down. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut out the center of each cupcake about ¾ of the way down. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.
- Let your buttercream come closer to room temperature if it's been in the fridge for a while. Scoop the mint buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M or similar piping tip.
- Starting at the outside rim of the cupcake, begin to pipe the frosting in a clockwise motion, moving to the center until you have covered the entire top in a beautiful swirl design. Repeat this with the remaining cupcakes.
- Drizzle each cupcake with the remaining chocolate ganache. If your ganache is too thick, carefully transfer to a small bowl and reheat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds before adding to a new piping bag. Enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend waiting to fill the cupcakes with chocolate ganache until closer to when you'll serve them as it is best when it's as fresh as possible.
- Cupcakes are best when eaten fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.
Leave a Reply