Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped and melted
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup chocolate milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a few drops of green food coloring

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the chocolate milk and the peppermint extract. Add the flour and the baking soda and beat just until combined, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure it is all incorporated.
  • Fill each of the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
  • To make the buttercream, combine the egg whites and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fill a small pot with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place the stand mixer bowl on top of the pot and whisk the eggs and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is about 160ºF.
  • Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks, then continue to beat until the sides of the bowl are no longer warm, about 6 minutes.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low, start adding the butter, a couple tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the mixture is smooth. (It may start to separate and look curdled – if this happens, just continue to beat until it all comes together, 3-5 minutes.)
  • Beat in the peppermint extract and the vanilla extract as well as the food coloring. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir the buttercream with a rubber spatula before transferring to a piping bag. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.