Is that a scoop of mint chip ice cream? No! These mint chocolate chip cupcakes are topped with mint chip buttercream frosting.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Frosting
My love of mint chocolate began with my first scoop Thrifty’s mint chocolate chip ice cream. Three decades later and it’s still one of my favorite ice cream flavors. Proof: fresh mint and chocolate chunk ice cream and dark chocolate mint ice cream.
Let’s translate those beloved flavors into a cupcake!
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
This recipe makes 18 standard sized cupcakes ( 1.5 dozen). Double the recipe to make three dozen cupcakes, perfect for a party or a gathering!
You will need:
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners or reusable silicone cupcake liners
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Ice Cream Scooper
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer)
One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
All is need is ONE BOWL and a sturdy spatula to mix together these chocolate cupcakes. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in large bowl. Follow up with all the liquid and wet ingredients.
Stir to combine all the ingredients until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. That’s it! Transfer the batter to lined muffin tin, filling each cavity about 2/3 full.
Bake until done, about 20 minutes. Prepare the frosting while the cupcakes cool to room temperature.
Mint Chip Buttercream Frosting
The cupcakes are frosted with a very simple buttercream. It’s a mixture of butter, confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar or icing sugar), mint extract, and chopped chocolate.
There are a few mint extracts to choose from: pure mint extract, pure peppermint extract, or pure spearmint extract. I suggest using PURE MINT extract, which is a mixture of spearmint and peppermint.
Alternatively, you may use peppermint oil. Oil much more concentrated than extract. You’ll only need half the amount listed in the recipe. This is a great peppermint oil to try.
For food coloring, I highly recommend using food gel colors. Gel is thicker and more concentrated than standard liquid food coloring. Liquid food coloring has more moisture, which could make the frosting very loose.
For best results, use AmeriColor soft gel paste. To achieve the same coloring as the image, use 4 drops of Electric Green and 1 drop of Forest Green.
One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, (195 g)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (45 g)
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, (250 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (226 g) softened, room temp
- 2 ½ cup confectioners' sugar, (285 g), unsifted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- green food gel color, (I used 4 drops of Electric Green and 1 drop of Forest Green)
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add buttermilk, water, eggs, oil, and vanilla to bowl. Using a spatula, stir to combine until all dry ingredients are moistened. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Fill prepared muffin ⅔ full with batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating pan midway through baking. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool on wire rack until room temperature.
Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar half a cup at time while machine is running on low. Add sea salt and mint extract. If a stronger mint flavor is desired, continue to add mint extract 1/4 tsp at a time until desired flavor is achieved.
- Add green food gel color until desired color is achieved. Fold in chopped chocolate chips. If frosting is too thick, add milk or heavy cream ½ Tbsp at a time.
- Use an ice cream scoop to portion frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Pure mint extract is a combination of spearmint and peppermint.
- Alternatively, you may use peppermint oil. It is much more concentrated than extract. As such, only use half the amount listed in the recipe.
- For best results, use food gel paste coloring for the frosting. Standard liquid food coloring will make the frosting loose.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi, Maryanne! My boyfriend and I made these cupcakes for our second anniversary. It was my first time to try baking and I greatly enjoyed this recipe. My only problem with this recipe is that the buttercream frosting collapses because of the humidity in where I’m living. Do you have any tips on keeping it stiff even in high humidity areas while retaining the original flavor of the icing? Thanks!
Hi Patrice! Happy Anniversary to you! I suggest keeping the frosted cupcakes chilled in the fridge. Once you’re ready to eat, let them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften.
Hi! I love all of your recipes! I found that on the ingredient list there is no salt under ‘one bowl chocolate cupcakes.’ I linked to the Martha Stewart recipe and used what she said – 3/4 teaspoon. Maybe I am just blind and did not see it! Anyway, I love the recipe! Thank you! :)
Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much :) And thanks for pointing out the missing salt! I have added it to the recipe!
Made these as well as the orange poppyseed donuts for my friends and they LOVED them!
That’s wonderful to hear, Linda! :)