Chocolate and Peppermint Cupcakes

I love cupcakes.. probably one of the main reasons is that they are perfect individual servings and that makes them ridiculously cute! I love mini tarts and things too, so expect to see those soon!

Chocolate mint cupcake

But back on topic, I've found that chocolate and peppermint are a really complementary flavor combo. Something about chocolate's rich, full taste is complemented by a whiff of refreshing mint flavor. Since I was in the mood for a cupcake, this flavor combination seemed like a good idea. I googled chocolate mint cupcakes for ideas, and scanned my favorite blogs as well. Chocolate mint cupcakes seemed to be pretty popular.. I saw them on several websites, including Chockylit, my favorite cupcake blog. An interesting addition that I borrowed was a bit of instant coffee mix in the chocolate cupcakes, which really added to the flavor of the cake in my opinion. These were delicious and I would try again! Next time I would cut back on the peppermint extract though... I think the flavor was too strong, and slightly overpowered the chocolate. Or maybe try fresh mint? Not sure how to do that though.

I piped the frosting and decorated with green pastel (Easter?) M&Ms. I couldn't find the right tip though so I resorted to a smaller shell tip which didn't quite have the swirly effect I was looking for. Still, I am quite happy with the results! :)



These cupcakes are decorated and all ready to go. I really enjoy making them and I hope to maybe someday sell them for small events.