Recipe of the week | Mint-Choc!

Mint Choc-Chip Cupcakes

This one was a spur of the moment decision but I did not regret it! 
Why didn't I think of this? I love the mint-chocolate ice-cream flavour from Thorntons! So, I'm glad I found this in the pages of 'Lola's Forever' book by Lola's Cupcakes. Enjoy!

Ps: I had no peppermint extract so I made a strong small cup of peppermint tea. 

Makes: 12-20 cupcakes
Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Baking time: 15-25 minutes

Ingredients
50g unsweetened Cocoa powder
175g Self-raising Flour
4 Eggs
190g Light brown Sugar 
90ml Whole Milk (I used Almond milk)
1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (I used 3 teaspoons of my tea)
175ml Sunflower Oil
75g Dark/Semi-sweet Chocolate chips

Buttercream
75g Unsalted Butter
1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract ( I used 2 teaspoons of my tea)
150g Icing Suga
2 tablespoons Whole Milk (I used Almond Milk)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Mint Green food colouring 

Method
1) Preheat the oven to 180oC/ Fan 160oC/ 350oF/ Gas 4. Sift the cocoa powder and flour into a bowl and set aside. 
2) Place the eggs and sugar into a bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. Combine the milk, peppermint extract and oil before slowly adding to the egg mixture until just combined. 
3) Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients. Scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix until it is smooth - do not overmix.
4) Fold in the chocolate chips, until evenly distributed. 
5) Using an ice cream scoop, divide the mixture between the muffin cases - fill till two-thirds full. 
6) Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until well risen and skewer inserted into a cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Buttercream Method
1) Place the butter into a bowl and beat until soft and fluffy. Add the mint extract and mix again. Sift in half the icing sugar and mix at a low speed until incorporated. 
2) Add the second half of the sugar and mix again. 
3) Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until it is light and fluffy.  If too stiff, add some more milk. 
4) Add your green food colouring, in half batches and mix to your desired shade. 
5) Either spoon the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake or spread the buttercream onto each cake using a palette knife. 
6) Decorate the cupcakes with chopped dark chocolate sprinkles and you can add a chocolate truffle each for a more glamour! I'm not so posh so I used Maltesers.

I know, it's been a long time since I uploaded one but I have been baking!
Back with a bang! I do hope you enjoy this...the folks at work did!