These Mint Chocolate Cupcakes have a moist and fluffy chocolate cupcake base with a smooth, velvety mint buttercream frosting! They're quick and easy to make, gorgeous for any occasion, and are sure to impress a crowd!
Into cupcakes? I loooooove cupcakes AKA why I have an entire cupcake section on the blog bursting with fun recipes! These Mini Cupcakes are super cute, serve a crowd, and have the lightest texture ever! Take a look at these super moist and indulgent Nutella Cupcakes too, or give some love to these Triple Chocolate Cupcakes!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Texture: These are the moistest, richest chocolate cupcakes with a smooth and velvety frosting
- Time: This is a super quick recipe with just 15 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of bake time!
- Ease: You'll need 1 bowl and a whisk for the cupcakes and just a few ingredients for the icing.
- Festive: These cupcakes are perfect for Christmas or St. Patrick's Day!
Cupcake Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is the base the recipe. It’s used instead of butter for a moister and fluffier cake. It can be substituted for another unflavored oil.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs at room temperature add to structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract rounds out the flavor of the cupcakes.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream creates moist and tender cupcakes.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk interacts with the leavening agents and creates light, tender cupcakes.
- All Purpose Flour: Regular, plain all purpose flour that is measured properly by using a kitchen scale or using a spoon to carry and level the flour into your measuring cups creates a soft texture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is how this cake gets its chocolate flavor. I use natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Together, both of these leavening agents help this cake rise. Do not exchange one for the other.
- Salt: Salt brings out sweetness and enhances flavor.
Step-by-Step Process
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line a 12-count cupcake tin with liners.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, vegetable oil, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, room temperature sour cream, and room temperature buttermilk together. Whisk until smooth.
STEP 3: Pour your properly-measured all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Mix with a whisk only until you see the dry flour pieces disappear.
STEP 4: Transfer your batter to the prepared pan. Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until the tops look slightly shiny, the center looks set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before frosting.
Mint Buttercream
STEP 1: In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
STEP 2: Then, pour milk, peppermint flavoring, and green coloring into the bowl and mix on high speed for at least 3 minutes to create a light, velvety frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regular milk will not produce the same light and fluffy texture. However, you can make homemade buttermilk by adding ½ tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Then, pour room temperature dairy milk into the container to reach the ½ cup mark. Finally, mix the milk and lemon juice or vinegar together before letting it sit for 5 minutes.
The liners should be almost full or at least ¾ full when you fill them with batter. This creates a gorgeous dome when baking!
When tightly covered to preserve freshness, these cupcakes will stay good at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Expert Tips
Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature ingredients will allow the cupcake batter to come together more smoothly and result in more even cupcakes. If you forget to leave them out ahead of time, you can-
- leave eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes
- heat sour cream in the microwave for 10 seconds
- heat buttermilk in the microwave for 10 seconds
Decorating: You can decorate these cupcakes in so many different ways! Some ideas include topping with crushed cookies, Andes candy, sprinkles, chocolate chips... whatever your heart desires!
Storing: These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container or tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. To freeze, place the cooled cupcakes, uncovered, in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then, wrap them individually in cling wrap and freeze. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Related Recipes
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Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Cupcakes, Mint, Chocolate
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Mint Chocolate Cupcakes have a moist and fluffy chocolate cupcake base with a smooth, velvety mint buttercream frosting! They’re quick and easy to make, gorgeous for any occasion, and are sure to impress a crowd!
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 cup (210g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs (100g), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (85g) sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ¾ cup (105g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting
- 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30g) milk
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
- green food dye
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line your 12-count muffin tray with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, room temperature sour cream, and room temperature buttermilk together. Whisk until smooth.
- Add your properly measured all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Mix with a whisk only until you see the dry flour pieces disappear. Do not overmix past this point to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Then, transfer your batter to the 12 liners, adding about ¼-1/3 cup of batter to each cavity. The cupcakes should be ¾ full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes look slightly shiny, the centers look set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Allow the cupcakes to cool before decorating.
For the Frosting
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat room temperature butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth. This should be about 2 minutes of mixing.
- Pour milk, peppermint extract, and green dye into the frosting and beat on high speed for at least 3 minutes to create a light frosting. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or a zippable plastic bag with the corner snipped off for greater control when frosting. Decorate as desired.
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container or tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Notes
Measuring Flour: To avoid dry and dense cupcakes, measure flour with a kitchen scale to 105g exactly or use a spoon to transfer flour from your container to your measuring cups before using a knife to level.
Mixer: I recommend using a mixer to make your frosting. Since you will be using cool butter in the frosting, it will be incredibly time-consuming and difficult to mix the frosting by hand.
Storing: These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container or tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. To freeze, place the cooled cupcakes, uncovered, in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then, wrap them individually in cling wrap and freeze. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Mint Chocolate Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, Mint Buttercream
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