Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcakes With White Chocolate Mint Frosting Food

NANA'S CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners. Mix cocoa and boiling water until smooth; cool completely., Beat butter and sugar until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with applesauce, beating well after each addition. Beat in cocoa mixture., Fill prepared muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and extract until smooth. If desired, tint frosting green with food coloring. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread over cupcakes. If desired, top with candies.

MINT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING WITH DARK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream 1 1/3 cups sugar with 1/2 cup butter or margarine, and salt. Blend extract, 2 tablespoons milk, and remaining sugar into mixture. Gradually stir remaining milk into frosting until desired spreading consistency is reached.
• Melt and stir unsweetened chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine together in a microwave, or in a double boiler. Double this glaze if desired.
• Frost cake. Pipe a frosting scallop at the top edge of the cake to keep glaze from dripping down the sides of the cake. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Chill until glaze has set.

LOW CALORIE MINT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH FROSTING FROM 'COOK YOU

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners.
• 2. Using a handheld or standing mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until pale and quadrupled in size. Add the grated sweet potato and whisk again. Whisk in the ground almonds, flour, peppermint extract, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder until they are well combined. Add the chocolate chunks or chips, and using a spatula, mix so that they are evenly distributed.
• 3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners so that each liner is half-filled. This will give them enough space to puff up and rise to the top while baking.
• 4. Bake for 20 minutes. They will be somewhat flat on top rather than dome-shaped.
• 5. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator until the cupcakes are cold. The cupcakes will need to be cold to keep the icing from sliding off.
• 6. While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing: With a wooden spoon or mixer, beat the butter with one heaping tablespoon of the sugar, the peppermint extract and coloring for a minute until they are all incorporated and the butter has softened slightly. Add the confectioners' sugar one heaping tablespoon at a time, with half a teaspoon of water each time you add the sugar, and beat between each addition. Once all the sugar is added, you should have a soft green paste.
• 7. Ice each cold cupcake, using just over a tablespoon of frosting per cupcake. Finish by sprinkling dark chocolate shavings over the top of each one.