Lesson 101-Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

One Sunday morning I woke and decided that I needed to make cupcakes.  Conveniently it was Husband's grandma's b-day, so I used that as an excuse to make cupcakes.  I chose mint chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients:
* 2 cups self-raising flour
* 4 tbsp cocoa powder
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp. mint extract
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips
 For the Icing:
* 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tsp. mint extract
* green food coloring
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the over to 325*F.  Place baking cups in to muffin tin.  In a medium bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa, and baking powder.  Set aside.  Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture gradually, stirring until well combined.  Stir in the mint extract and chocolate chips.  Spoon the mixture into the cups.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the tins from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.  To make icing, beat the butter and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.  Stir in the mint extract and just enough food coloring to turn the icing a mint green.  Ice the cupcakes and decorate with chocolate chips. 

The amount of butter in this recipe would make Paula Deen proud.  They were yummy, but not my favorite.  If I were to do this recipe again I would only add mint to the frosting and not the batter.

And Grandma J loved em!