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Tuesday 20 May 2008

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.

47 comments:

The Caked Crusader said...

I love the green icing - it screams "peppermint". I love After Eight mints and the thought of combining them with cake is most pleasing - two for the price of one!!!
Great photos

Donna said...

These look Refreshing sweetie!!! Hope all is happy in the kitchen today!!hughugs

Anna's kitchen table said...

WOW! They look amazing, In love the mint and chocolate combo!

glamah16 said...

Rosie,
I'm serious. Open a bakerery shop!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

These remind me of Creme de menthe liqueur...but I would be able to have them for days...if they lasted that long of course:D

Anitha said...

Looks very refreshing!

Maria♥ said...

Wow these look really gorgeous, yum!! I love mint and choc combination too ;o)

Maria
x

Maria♥ said...

Wow these look so gorgeous. I love the choc and mint combination too ;o)

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

So pretty and delicious looking. I love after eights so must try these :)

Peter M said...

It would be nice if the Jeeves the butler would bring everyone an After 8 cupcake to nibble on, no?

Sylvie said...

Ooohhh, look at those! Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

What an interesting idea to use peppermint for cupcakes! Must be tasting great! nice recipe!

Gloria Baker said...

Rosie this look beauty,beauty, beauty, what`s nice you make the cupcakes I love them!!! xxGloria

James said...

'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.'

Or creme de menthe I'm thinking.

You've made our mouth's water again. What I want to know though is how you can actually keep after eights in a box? The boxes I come accross are always empty......

Jules said...

These look great. Where do you get your gold cupcake cases from?

JillyB said...

I love the mint/chocolate combination and these cupcakes look wonderful.

Ruth Strong said...

After Eights are a weakness for me... this was a bad recipe for me to read, but it sounds sooooo good!

test it comm said...

Mint and chocolate "After Eight" cupcakes sound so good! I really like the mint and chocolate combo.

Silvia - Magnolia Wedding Planner said...

Rosie! The cupcakes are exactly what I've been looking for!
I adore aftr eights and even if I'm good in baking I'll take note of this fantastic recipe!
:-D i send you a big hug
Thanks for being so sweet with me :-D
I adore you
Silvia

Nickki said...

YUM YUM YUM ROSIE!! They look delicious, I could just eat one right now. I'm crazy over anything with chocolate/peppermint, it's my favourite combination. Guess what I'll be making next time I have a box of after eights??! :) xxx

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

These are so beautiful, Rosie. What an idea!

Rosie said...

Many thanks everyone for your lovely kind comments – you guys really know how to put a huge smile on my face :D I look forward to viewing all your scrummy after 8 cupcakes when/if you bake them *smile*

Coco, I would love to open a bakery shop that would be a dream come true :)

Jules the cup cases are Wiltons and I brought them in Lakelands store

James I really love the idea of adding crème de menthe to these cupcakes, great idea :)

Thank you everyone for calling by!

Best wishes Rosie x

Anonymous said...

What a great idea for the thin mint topping! Even the candy peppermints sound brilliant too!

Deeba PAB said...

Oh you take the cake & the muffin Rosie. Can see you're HOT on chocolate this month...& I'm lovin' it! How lovely...I love the choc-mint combination!

Silvia - Magnolia Wedding Planner said...

You should really open a bakery shop dear! if you don't ..why should others?
You have talent darling believe me
have faith in you..always believe in your strongness.
Bacio
Silvia

Anna said...

No one is ever going to complain about a chocolate theme! My dad would adore these; I think I'll make them for fathers' day. He loves chocolate/mint ^__^.

Hetal said...

These cupcakes look yummy....

Gigi said...

The cupcakes look really sophisticated! The icing is perfectly swirled and I love the cookie on top.

Unknown said...

I haven't tried peppermint on icing. However, my friend gave me a box of chocolate with peppermint filling as a gift, and I can taste your cupcakes through it hehehe

Chibog in Chief said...

i love the green icing too!! chocolate and mint flavors are so perfect together..you really never run out of sweet and beautiful ideas :-)

Rosie said...

Awe thank you everyone you are all SO kind :) If it hadn’t been for a few left over after eight mints sat all lonely that required using up I would have never have dreamt up this type of cupcake. I do like the idea that James and Val had of adding crème de menthe a great grown up combo *giggle* Indigo I hope your dad will love his father’s day cupcakes *smile*

Many thanks for taking the time to call by it is always great to *see* you all

Rosie x

Maggie said...

My daughter made these some years ago now, can you believe with leftover After Eight Mints! They really are as delicious as you say Rosie! Mx

dabrah said...

Chocolate and mint is my second favourite after chocolate and peanut butter. (I still haven't made those whoopies, but I will.)

Thinking About Food said...

Fantastic Rosie, loving the look of these!!!!(Going to have to make them so I can taste them too!!!:)

Marija said...

Thank you so much for the recipe! I just love after 8

Rosie said...

Hi M, what a coincidence that your daughter also made cupcakes too, and yes they do taste really yummy :)

Hi dabrah, I always seem to be lagging behind in planned bakes and start to experiment with something else in baking, my downfall at times *giggle*

Hi Linda, awe thanks and enjoy when you bake them :)

Hi Marija, my pleasure sweetie and enjoy when you bake them too :)

Thanks for calling by and as always lovely to *see* you!

Best wishes Rosie x

priscilla joy said...

Mint cupcakes?? Sounds delicious. My sister made some the other day and they were good. I like how you pipped the frosting on the cupcake, I am getting that down...looks a lot more professional!

Cakelaw said...

These look delish once again Rosie.

Rosie said...

Hi Priscilla, it is a lovely combo mint & chocolate pleased your sister made her version of them always great to hear any feedback. The piped version of the frosting I found when I pipe does take a little more icing lol but more to sink your teeth into *giggle*

Hi Cakelaw, awe thanks sweetie :)

Many thanks for calling by and for your lovely comments!

Best wishes Rosie x

Deborah said...

I love mint and chocolate as well, and these are gorgeous!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Those cupcakes look fabulous! Extremely tempting and yummy!

cheers,

Rosa

Kelly-Jane said...

They look stunning, and I love after eights, so would love these :)

Rosie said...

Awe thanks Deborah & Rosa you both are so very kind :)

Best wishes Rosie x

Namratha said...

Mint and chocolate, ohhh that's a match made in heaven! Love it!:)

Rosie said...

Hi Namratha, thank you :) The combo did go well together.

Best wishes Rosie x

Laura said...

Holy moly, these look yummy.

Rosie said...

Hi Laura, thank you and they were rather yummy :)

Best wishes Rosie x