Tag: mint cupcakes

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

The McDonald’s shamrock shake is one of my favorite special seasonal treats. I’ve wanted to make it in cupcake form for a while now, and I found a great recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker, adapting it to replace the cream cheese frosting with vanilla buttercream and using sea salt instead of kosher in the cupcake batter.

The man I made these for told me they were even better than my creamsicle cupcakes, which transported him back to childhood like that scene in Ratatouille when Ego takes a bite of Remy’s signature dish. That was high praise, indeed, so I’m glad I took the trouble to find mint extract (not peppermint extract) online for these treats – it’s what really gives them their shamrock shake flavor. The next time I make these, I’ll fill the cupcake wells a bit fuller with batter – the cupcakes were a bit shallow, though they were still delicious.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
  • Green food coloring

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake wells with paper liners; this recipe made 15 cupcakes for me, but I think I under-filled my wells so I bet 14 is more accurate.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cake flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix on low for 1 minute, then add butter, a few cubes at a time, continuing until all the butter has been added and the mixture looks like coarse sand. This is the reverse creaming method, and trust me, it works. While this is mixing, combine your milk, vanilla extract, and mint extract in a glass measuring cup for easy pouring in the next step.

With the mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each, then slowly pour in the milk mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth. Batter will be on the thin side.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean – I’d start with 15 minutes and check every minute or so until they’re done. Remove from oven and remove from tins to cook completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk; add more milk if necessary. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls onto each cupcake to look like whipped cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

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.