Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Posted: December 11, 2009 | Author: Bakezilla | Filed under: Bakezilla | No Comments »

So, I promised these, and I know it took me a while, but I’m finally blogging about them. I made some chocolate-mint cupcakes last weekend for a birthday party. To be honest, this isn’t my favorite flavor combo, but it’s popular, and I was able to make sugared mint leaves for the first time, and found the secret to making chocolate cake that doesn’t sink.

First, the mint leaves. These are easy, look pretty, and taste pretty good too. To make sugared anything, and specifically mint leaves, all you need to do is take an egg white, and then whisk it for a little bit. Then, take a pastry brush, and brush the surface of the thing you want to sugar with the egg white. Dip that thing into a small bowl of plain old granulated sugar. Let dry for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight. Looks pretty and sparkly, tastes like minty sugar. Makes a lovely, unique garnish. I’ve read about sugared mint leaves as a garnish for mojitos. Hmmm… mojitos.

Next, the perfect chocolate cake. Chocolate cake, particularly devil’s food, which generally involves cocoa powder, often sinks in the middle. And that sucks, because devil’s food cake is divine, despite the sinister name.

This is a slight adaptation of Shirley Corriher’s Deep, Dark Chocolate Cake. She and others discuss the difference between using Dutch process cocoa and regular cocoa. I’ve used both, and have to say, I’m not sure what the huge fuss is about, they honestly aren’t all that different, Dutch-process is a tad darker. But seriously, use whatever’s available. So, first, spray whatever pan you use (cupcake, round, whatever) liberally, bc chocolate STICKS. If you’re not doing cupcakes, use parchment. For reals, and spray that stuff as well. Also, preheat to 350. Then, in a heavy saucepan, and a big one as well, stir 2 3/4 cups sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, and 1 tsp baking soda. Stirring constantly, add a cup of boiling water (I took from the tea kettle), little by little. Stir it up briskly, bring back to a boil (it really bubbles up, hence the need for a big saucepan for mess prevention), shut off the heat, and let stand in the hot pan for at 10 or more minutes.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add 1 cup canola oil (use something high quality, it makes a difference) and 2 tsp vanilla extract (another place to opt for the high quality), and beat on low speed with a mixer. Mix in 1 3/4 cups flour (Corriher uses bleached, I say “gross”). Then, mix in 4 egg yolks (take your lipitor, hahaha), 2 whole eggs and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Pour the (runny – caution – mess potential) batter into your pan(s), and bake for 20 minutes for cupcakes, more for larger cakes, until it passes the knife test.

Seriously, this is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I am obsessed with adding boiling water to the baking soda as well as cocoa. Makes a big, big difference in consistency.

For frosting, I just make a regular buttercream (powdered sugar, butter, milk) with mint extract instead of vanilla. And a little green food coloring for effect. Then, I topped the cupcakes with the sugared mint leaves.