Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a gem and would be a perfect St Paddy's Day dessert.

Ingredients:

    Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

       Mint Ganache Filling:

• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

        Mint Frosting:

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp heavy cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp mint extract
• green food coloring
• Andes mints for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the cupcakes, Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl, add cocoa.  Heat milk until hot but not boiling.  Pour milk over cocoa and whisk until smooth.  Let cool.  Once cooled, add sugar, oil, egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth.  Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until combine.  Don't over mix the batter!
2. Pour into 12 muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to rack to cool completely.
3. While cupcakes are baking, go ahead and make the filling.  Melt chocolate chips and cream in the microwave on 30 second intervals until melted.   Stir in mint extract and powdered sugar.  You can taste it at this point and add more mint if you'd like.  When cupcakes come out the oven, Add ganache to a squeeze bottle and fill cupcakes.
4. Mint Frosting:  Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add powdered sugar, mint extract and heavy cream.  Add green food coloring and stir.  A small amount will give you a nice pale green.  Taste it.  If you want a more stronger minty flavor, add more.  Be careful! You can go from perfect to overpowering real fast!  Once cupcakes have cooled, frost cupcakes and decorate with left over ganache and Andes mints.

Eat and enjoy!


 Adapted from: http://www.yourcupofcake.com/2011/05/andes-mint-cupcakes.html

* makes 12 cupcakes

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• splash of vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp raw sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.  In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and egg.  Beat together and add to dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined; do not over mix.
3. Fold in blueberries and vanilla.  
4. Fill your muffin tin and sprinkle with raw sugar.  You can also use regular white sugar.  The raw sugar gives the muffins a nice crunch.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden.  Remove and let cool on a baking rack.

Eat and enjoy.

** makes approx. 10-12 muffins