Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Total time: 95
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup boiling water; ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup butter, at room temperature; 1 cup white sugar; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies; ½ cup shortening; ½ cup butter, at room temperature; 1 ¼ teaspoons peppermint extract; 3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided; 3 tablespoons milk, divided; 3 drops green food coloring paste, or as needed

Recipe by xoxoemilyrae from allrecipes.com

Dessert 2 Hr. 35 Mins.

Ingredients

12 servings

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1 cup boiling water
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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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¼ teaspoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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½ cup butter, at room temperature
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1 cup white sugar
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2 tablespoons white sugar

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2 eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies
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½ cup shortening
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½ cup butter, at room temperature
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1 ¼ teaspoons peppermint extract
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3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
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3 tablespoons milk, divided
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3 drops green food coloring paste, or as needed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin tin with greased liners.
Combine boiling water and cocoa powder in a small bowl; whisk until smooth. Allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar in a large bowl; beat together with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Fold peppermint candies into the batter.
Scoop batter into the muffin tin.
Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes are firm to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and set on a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
Combine shortening and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add peppermint extract. Add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat in milk, a tablespoon at a time, until buttercream is desired consistency. Fold in food coloring a little at a time to reach desired shade of green.
Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Frost each cupcake with buttercream.