Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup (1 stick and 2-2/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups superfine sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 cup milk
FROSTING:
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper liners. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly blend in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until blended. Spoon batter into paper liners, filling each cup three-fourths full.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool cupcakes in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.
Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Cool frosting until spreadable. Frost cupcakes.
YIELDS: 20 cupcakes