March brings St. Patrick’s Day, and for a green, themed treat try Chocolate Cupcake with Mint Cream Cheese Icing. Cream Cheese Icing is already a tasty treat; the minty kick brings an unexpected delight, while matching the icing colour perfectly. These cupcakes will be sure to remind friends that even the smallest holidays are worth celebrating, and that homemade baking is infinitely better then store-bought!
For a chocolate-y, fluffy base use Hersey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water
Lining some muffin tins with paper liners heat the oven to 350*F. Mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla by beating on medium speed. Stir in boiling water, the batter will have a consistency similar to a
milkshake, then using a spouted cup or jug pour the batter in, making the liners ¾ full. Bake cupcakes for 22-24 minutes.
To complement the chocolate flavor, and make the cupcakes festive, mix up the mint icing mint icing. The recipe used was glorioustreats.com Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting, because the rich flavor of cream cheese always deepens and compliments chocolate, and makes for a rich icing.
1/2 cup (1 stick, 8 Tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (about 3/4 of a regular block of cream cheese)
4 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (I found some at my local supermarket)
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 to 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream
Blend butter in a mixing bowl. Add and blend in cream cheese. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, blend on low speed until combined, then increase speed and beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts. Gradually add cream until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Blend until fluffy.
Now, what can I say about these cupcakes? They’re fantastic. That’s really all that needs to be said. They baked beautifully; doming up in the warmth of my oven, until reaching chocolatey and spongy perfection. This is my new favourite chocolate cupcake recipe, the texture and lightness was unbelievably delicious.
My love of cream cheese icing won me over when choosing icing, I had to try this one. I was impressed with the results, although cream cheese and mint sound like a strange combination the icing turned out great, smooth and sweet, with undertones of rich cream cheese mixed with the refreshing flavour of mint; simply melt in your mouth delicious.
This is one of the best cupcake recipes I have ever made, it was simple, easy, and delicious, definitely worth a try!
To make these cupcakes scream St. Patty’s add a couple drops of green food colouring to the icing last thing before frosting. Green or shamrock sprinkles and cupcake liners add an extra touch.