Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes...without the green dye

Its starting...it's that time in our lives where between Charles and I...alot of our friends are getting married or engaged.  We were in Philly last weekend, head to Annapolis this coming weekend...oh and the weekend after that we head to Hampton, VA.  To say the very least it is super fun and exciting time!  Plus, it gives us an excuse to travel, and for trips where we only have to be away for a night or two.  That is until the wedding in Charleston at the end of June...but I am always looking for any sort of excuse where I have to go to Charleston.  This past weekend was truly a blast though and was so great to see friends that we don't get to see often enough.  It also made me feel like we are all really starting to grow up, friends are getting married, and some even have kids already!

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens...one of my favorite spots in Philly.

CAKE!  Oh how I love checking out wedding cakes.

Morning run to explore the city...

I have been wanting to take a picture of the Board Game Art Park for about...6 years now...since the summer where I hung out at Temple University...when I thought I might want to be a teacher.

I mean that's a huge Monopoly piece iron...

Okay cupcake time...

Before heading to Philly for the weekend, there were cupcakes for the first May birthday in my office.  The request was simple....mint and chocolate.  This led to the obvious...mint chocolate chip cupcakes...or maybe its only obvious to me...either way.  I choose to go the route that Trader Joe's goes with no green food coloring...TJ's doesn't dye its ice cream either.   The frosting tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream...you know except not cold, and the light and fluffy chocolate cupcakes are moist and compliment the frosting well.  If you are a mint chocolate chip fan, these cupcakes are meant for you!  

I don't know why really but I always sift my dry ingredients when cocoa cocoa powder is involved.

Chocolate chunks chopped for the frosting.

Love my new plate!  Thanks Rachel for remembering!

From the top...

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes: (Recipe adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen)

*makes approximately 24-27 cupcakes...a little over a dozen

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened, Dutch process cocoa powder (I used Hershey Special Dark)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup boiling water

Frosting:

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, slightly softened

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 3/4 - 2 teaspoons mint extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

*If you want green frosting throw in one or two drops of green food coloring

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Line two 12-muffin, muffin tins with liners and spray only the bottoms with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then whisk together until fully combined. 

3.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Then mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in one addition.  Scrape the sides of the bowl, then slowly stir in the boiling water.  Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill the liners 2/3 full.  Do not over fill them!

4.  Bake cupcakes for 12-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, with no crumbs hanging to it.  While the cupcakes are baking prepare the frosting.

5.  In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream, and both extracts on medium speed until smooth. With mixer speed on low, slowly add powdered sugar and mix until just combined. If you want green frosting, add food coloring and increase speed to medium high and beat for about minute, until frosting is light, smooth, and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon or two of cream and beat for 30 more seconds.  Fold in the chopped chocolate. One the cupcakes have fully cooled, frost and serve at room temperature.