• 1 bar 99% Unsweetened Scharffen Berger Chocolate (9.7 oz / 275g)
• 1-1/2 cups butter
• 2-1/2 cups caster sugar
• 8 eggs
• 1-1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Chop chocolate, transfer into a bowl. Add butter to chocolate and place bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir until combined. Remove bowl from heat and add sugar. Allow to cool.
2. I now have a fancy stand mixer, so I transferred the cooled choco/butter to it. Then add sugar, mix until combined, and add egg one at a time, then the peppermint extract. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and mix until blended.
3. Scoop into cupcake tins/papers, and bake at 350F for 25 minutes

For the Cupcake Hero challenge, I present my final Christmas menu dessert: Chocolate Mint Cupcakes. Perhaps not the most 'original' mint pairing - I considered : Mint & Balsamic, Mint & Basil Mint & Lemon, Mint & Green Tea - chocolate and mint is more a classic pairing, and something I knew my family would eat. I made 12 normal-sized cupcakes for the Fam, and 24 mini-cupcakes for some friends. I dusted them with green, mint flavoured sugar, and chocolate shavings. Adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop's Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes