Mint-y Chocolate Cupcakes

I adore the combo of mint and chocolate together and these little cupcakes just fit the bill. Moist mint-y chocolate chipped sponge and lush creamy mint icing who could resist such perfection of flavours? Of course if you want to be a purist and not add the colouring the taste will remain just as delicious.

Here is the recipe if you want to try out this wonderful combination too!

Mint chocolate cupcakes

Makes 18

Ingredients
225g (8 oz) self-raising flour

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

225g (8 oz) caster sugar

225g (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon mint essence

100g (4 oz) good quality chocolate, chopped into pieces
For icing:

115g (4 ½ oz) unsalted butter, softened

225g (8 oz) icing sugar sieved

1 teaspoon mint essence

Edible green food colouring, I use coloured pastes
Chocolate sprinkles, chocolate chips, for decoration

Method

You will need muffin tins and lined with 18 muffin cases. Preheat oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C /325°F/Gas mark 3.

To make the cupcakes, in a bowl sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa together and leave to one side. In another bowl add the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time and beat in well. Fold in the flour carefully and then fold in the mint essence and chocolate pieces ensuring all is fully incorporated together.

Spoon mixture into the muffin cases and bake for about 25 minutes. When cooked the cakes should feel firm to touch and skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean without any mixture clinging to it. To make icing, beat icing sugar and butter in a bowl stir in the mint essence, add a few drops of colour to turn the icing a mint green colour.

Ice the cooled cupcakes and decorate with chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles.