Mint Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

I love how versatile chocolate is.  It goes with everything, doesn't it?  Peanut butter, caramel, bananas, dates, . . . and yet I haven't done anything with mint.

Shame on me.  Shame, shame.

I have a good reason for it, really I do!  In addition to not liking chocolate, half my family doesn't like mint.  So that is why this only makes four or five.  Waste not, want (a diet) not.

I was reminded of this classic duo after looking through pictures from Savanna's birthday party.  She used Junior Mints and chocolate in a dessert version of Chopped.  While we didn't have Junior Mints, we did have Andes Mint Baking Chips.

 

Mint and chocolate is a cool and refreshing dessert flavor combination.  Very sophisticated and more formal than, oh, lets say these.  And I know any mint and chocolate lover will flip for these.

Aaaannnnd this isn't a cupcake, just to let you know. Its a brownie. (Love brownies.) They're so much denser and chewier than cupcakes. (LOVE brownies.) And they tend to be richer and more chocolaty (LOVE brownies!) So, that's why we have brownie cupcakes.  (Love - oh, never mind.)

Rich and chewy brownie base topped with smooth and minty buttercream?  Sign me up!

Truth be known, I had never made buttercream.  (Shame, shame.)  Wow, was I missing out or what. So smooth and thick, perfect for frosting. It even cooperates with slow photographers! Never sliding, never smushing, just sitting there quiet and firm, waiting patiently for me to find the right angle and lighting.  What's really awesome is that it holds it's shape really well so when you bite into it, you bite clean - no smearing or dripping. you know how it gets that slight "crust" after sitting out? Bite through that and then it melts in your mouth.

The cupcakes cool fairly quickly, so it is easy to beat the buttercream while the brownie cupcakes are baking and cooling and is a cinch to frost (remember how cooperative the frosting is?)  You can choose to color your buttercream, if you wish; it adds a festive air and coordinates with your flavor.  (I'm OCD the way.)  Also, I only added mint extract to half of my buttercream because as much as I wanted to keep the extra icing to myself, I knew I needed to share some of it with my brothers.  They don't like mint.  Shame, shame.

Update:  I made these again and doubled the recipe.  I got a round dozen this time!

Mint Brownie Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 5 frosted cupcakes 1 dozen frosted cupcakes

Brownie Cupcake
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tbsp. water
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Andes Mint Baking Chips
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Buttercream
1 stick butter, softened
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp. milk
drop of green food coloring (optional)
1/8 tsp. mint extract (opt.)


Brownie Cupcake
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp. water
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups Andes Mint Baking Chips
2 egg
1-1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Buttercream
2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk
drop of green food coloring (optional)
1/8 tsp. mint extract (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan.

Melt coconut oil on stove. Add sugar and water and stir until dissolved. Add andes baking chips and stir until smooth. Let mixture cool before whisking in egg.

Add flour, baking soda and salt to chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For buttercream: Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and milk and beat until smooth. Add food coloring and extract, if desired.

Oh, and maybe you are wondering why the cupcakes have coconut oil and not butter when we use butter again in the buttercream. Well, long story short, I used a recipe where there turned out to be too much butter. Not only did it pool in the bottom of the cupcake liners, it and egg were all I tasted. So, I being incredibly afraid of wasting another batch of cupcakes, used coconut oil instead of butter to see if it turned put differently. Because the amount of coconut oil worked great, you should be able to sub butter for the coconut oil with no problems at all. Maybe you weren't wondering that at all, but now you have another Mary Frances kitchen fiasco to add to your collection!

Linked up with Mandy's Recipe Box, nap-time creations, and Chef in Training.