Controversial statement: Of all the ice creams in the world, mint chocolate chip is an occasional choice of mine, not a go-to. And if I’m having it, it’s the Breyer’s version that isn’t tinted green, buy rather just white ice cream with flecks of dark chocolate throughout.
I know, I know, some people are mint chocolate chip loyalists, eating nothing but it whenever they go near a scoop and preferring the green kind. It’s tasty, sure, but I’m more of a vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl or peanut butter cups in it kind of woman (or both), or just a vanilla ice cream over a brownie kind of woman. In any case, these treats have a very subtle flavor, more like an Andes candy than the classic parlor treat. Mint extract is pretty strong, so use it sparingly and add a smaller amount at first, then taste as you go to make sure it’s not overpowering.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
For the frosting
- 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- About 1/8 to 1/4 mint extract, to taste
- 1 teaspoon milk
- Miniature chocolate chips, for garnish
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes depending on how full the wells are.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.
Place vinegar, vanilla, mint extract, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.
Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, place butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon mint extract, and milk and beat to combine. Taste and add more mint extract if you like – I added a few more drops to mine, but not a full 1/8 teaspoon more because I wanted to keep it subtle. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe frosting onto cupcakes; sprinkle mini chocolate chips on the top. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 