After Eight Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

I needed to do some baking today as my cake tin was bare, which brought me to create this recipe. I was given some wonderful After Eight wafer thin mints a little while back and I had just a few left in the box waiting to be eaten or used up in some way.

I know another chocolate theme is going on here, but I do adore that mint and chocolate combination and my resistance is way too low when it comes to chocolate! The chocolate in the sponge comes from using a good quality cocoa powder. I did have an afterthought, I could have added a little of the After Eight wafer thin mint in the centre of each cupcake, that was left over from cutting the circles out. The butter icing is dreamy smooth with that hint of peppermint and to complete the cupcake, a circle of an After Eight mint sat on top like a king of kings surveying his kingdom

After Eight Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes or depending on size of paper case used

Ingredients
150g (5 oz) self raising flour
25g (1 oz) cocoa powder
175g (6 oz) butter, softened
175g (6 oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 -4 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
½ tsp peppermint extract
For The Icing
175g (6 oz) butter, softened
350g (12 oz) icing sugar, sieved
4-6 tbsp milk
½ tsp peppermint extract
Edible green food colouring
Decoration
12 After Eight wafer thin mints or fondant peppermint chocolate mints.

You will also need !2 hole muffin tin filled with12 paper cupcake cases, a very small round cutter to cut a circle out of each After Eight wafer thin mint, a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

Sieve the flour and cocoa powder together over the bowl and leave aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg a little at a time until fully combined, then add the vanilla extract (if using) and peppermint extract and work through the mixture. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder mixture with a large metal spoon. Add enough of the milk to give a good consistency. Equally fill each cupcake case and place in the preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes or until firm to a gentle touch on the top or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to completely cool.

Make the butter icing by placing the butter and half of the sieved icing sugar into a bowl and beat until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the milk and beat through, then add the remaining sieved icing sugar and beat through. If the butter icing seems a little stiff still, add the remaining tablespoon of milk and beat through until the butter icing is smooth and creamy. Add a little of the green food colouring just enough to give you a peppermint green colour and beat through until fully combined. Fill a piping bag with the star nozzle and pipe swirls of the butter icing on top of each cupcake. With a small round cutter cut out circles of After Eight Wafer Thin Mints and place on top.

Note: If you cannot find After Eight Wafer Thin Mints, crushed candy peppermints would also work for decoration. If you wish for a more intense peppermint flavour to your cupcakes just add a little more peppermint extract to the sponge mixture and butter icing.