Over-the-Top Andes Mint Cupcakes
These decadent, over-the-top Andes mint cupcakes are the ultimate mint/chocolate dessert and they are stunning in presentation.
So it came to my attention this week that there are actually, officially real, life human beings that find the combination of mint and chocolate revolting.
Um…what?
I don’t know if we can be friends. I’m sorry to sound shallow but I really don’t.
However, for those of you who recognize the pure, decadent, perfect relationship between mint and chocolate – behold, I give you the ultimate in mint/chocolate flavor.
A decadent, dense chocolate cupcake is piped full of glossy mint chocolate ganache and then dolloped with a swirl of perfectly creamy and minty buttercream. The beautiful morsel is then drizzled with silky mint chocolate ganache (again!) and garnished with an adorable Andes mint.
Seriously, what’s not to love?
Over-the-Top Andes Mint Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2 cups (424 g) sugar
- 1-3/4 cups (249 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (64 g) HERSHEY’S Cocoa
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 30 Andes mints for garnish
Chocolate Mint Filling:
- ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ⅓ cup (38 g) powdered sugar
Mint Buttercream:
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 32 ounces (907 g) powdered sugar, (about 7 cups)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- Green food coloring
Instructions
- For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper baking cups.
- In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; using a handheld electric mixer or an electric stand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be on the thinner side.
- Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes. So you may need to bake the cupcakes in installments if you only have 1 or 2 muffin tins. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack, after removing them from the muffin tin.
- For the mint filling, while the cupcakes are baking, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir. Repeat the process until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract and powdered sugar, whisking until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (but don’t let it get too stiff) and pour it into a squeeze bottle or a ziploc bag (it helps to place the ziploc bag, one point down, in a tall glass while filling).
- When the cupcakes are cool, insert the tip of the squeeze bottle into the center of the cupcake and press gently to fill the middle of the cupcake with the mint ganache.
- For the frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add the heavy cream and peppermint and vanilla extracts. Beat until light and fluffy. Add green food coloring until the color you like is achieved.
- Frost the cooled, filled cupcakes with frosting (using a large star tip) or simply spread the frosting in a large dollop with a butter knife or flat spatula. Garnish with an unwrapped Andes mint and a drizzle of leftover ganache (make sure the ganache is completely cool or it will melt the frosting when you drizzle it on top of the cupcake). Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: inspired by this recipe, cupcake recipe from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box
106 Comments on “Over-the-Top Andes Mint Cupcakes”
My daughter asked for mint chocolate cupcakes for her birthday. I wanted something simple but impressive, and liked the idea both of this recipe’s filled aspect, and also the cream cheese in the frosting. There is no getting around mint being toothpaste-y, so it’s kind of a bizarre taste for a cupcake. But if that’s the taste you want, this recipe worked perfectly. They were easy enough to make and came out really well. Got lots of compliments!
I tried this, exactly as the recipe calls for, after making several other recipes of cupcakes just fine and yet these just turned out to be a goopy mess that couldn’t rise right.
The mix was already pretty liquid before I even added the water.
I don’t understand what I could have done wrong.
I have made these just as the recipe says, and also just for chocolate cupcakes. Everyone absolutely loves them! Thank you!
Over -the -top is correct! You will never find a better recipe- so stop looking!
How would you modify the recipe if you choose to use Dutch processed cocoa?
Because the recipe has baking powder in it, you might be fine to sub Dutch-process straight across.
Can the filling be made a few days ahead of time?
I think so!
Do you have any idea if this would work with coconut milk and coconut cream? My son can’t have milk/cream but really wants chocolate mint cupcakes and these sound amazing!
I haven’t tried it, but I definitely think it has a high chance of working out!
MEL, I plant to try these for an upcoming party. Since they will be displayed a couple hours ahead of time, I am thinking of substituting your buttercream frosting for the cream cheese one. Will this work? Also, I’ve always loved a cinnamon/chocolate combo. Would it work to substitute cinnamon extract for mint? Or do you have any other recipes that feature this combo?
Thanks!
Yes, the buttercream frosting will work great! I don’t have many other recipes with the cinnamon chocolate combo – sorry about that!
For the buttercream frosting substitution on the Andes mint cupcakes…Should I substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla, or keep vanilla & add additional peppermint extract?
I would keep it with vanilla, personally, but if you really love a ton of peppermint flavor, you could probably sub that in!
Is it okay if I don’t put the water into the batter?
Mel, I just have to tell you these chocolate cupcakes are to die for! These were a huge hit at our banquet- I baked 180 of them and used your vanilla cream cheese frosting recipe. The frosting held shape very well! Yum! Thanks Mel!
Hi Mel! I am super excited to use this recipe. I just have one question. So where I live, the elevation is 4,541 ft. I have read some of these comments and noticed that people have had problems with high elevation and making these cupcakes. Would my elevation be considered high?
I’m not entirely sure, Lucy – but I do think you’d probably be considered at high elevation. Sometimes adding a couple tablespoons extra flour can help but you might try googling “high altitude baking” to see what else may be suggested. 🙂
Okay! Thank you!
What does 1-34 mean ???
It means 1 cup plus 3/4 cup.
Can you substitute mint extract for peppermint extract?
I think that should work.
These cupcakes are AMAZING!!! I brought them to my English 11 class for a movie party, and they were a huge hit. The teacher’s husband, who teaches next door, said they were some of the best cupcakes he has ever had. On the way out of the school, a few kids asked if they could try one because they had been hearing about them, and they said I should start my own cooking show!
That’s awesome, Kara – way to go!
Hi Mel,
I just made these for my husband’s birthday and they were a huge hit! Just curious, for the chocolate mint filling, do you usually use semi sweet or milk chocolate chips? Or would it make much of a difference?
Ellen – I always use bittersweet or semisweet. Milk chocolate chips are a bit too sweet for my tastes in the filling. I am glad you liked it!
Thanks, Mel! It made PLENTY of frosting for a 9″ layer, just in case you ever need to know. It is fabulous! I love the cream cheese/mint combo now! I haven’t gotten to eat it on the cake yet, I’m sure it will be amazing, I tasted plenty by the spoonful! Lol
Perfect timing, Mel! My husband asked for an Andes cake for his birthday this week. I plan to make your unbelievable chocolate cake, but needed a peppermint buttercream recipe. I may have to use this! Is this enough frosting to cover a 9″ layer cake? How does the cream cheese work with the mint? I saw a similar recipe elsewhere but was a tad hesitant because of that. But, if you posted it, I know it has to be good!!!!
Rebecca – I love the cream cheese/mint combo. I think the extra creaminess from the cream cheese helps cut the sharpness of the mint perfectly. It’s really delicious, I promise. 🙂 You could always leave out the cream cheese, just make sure to decrease the powdered sugar and cream a bit. And yes, I think the frosting could cover a 9″ layer cake. Today when I made it I had the thought that it makes a ton of frosting – I haven’t used it for a cake myself but I think you’d be ok.
Would the mint fiiling be stiff enough to use as frosting on top of the cupcakes,
instead of the mint buttercream as I would prefer not to fill the cupcakes,but only use
1 frosting on top & the mint filling has a lot less sugar than the buttercream, which
would be my preference. thank you
yuklan – no, the mint filling is quite runny and wouldn’t set up for a good frosting.
Mel, did u core out the center when adding the ganash or just squeezed itnto the cupcake. Im a little confused as to the filling process.
Samantha – I just piped the ganache into the cupcake without coring out a section.
These look so yummy. If I make these on a Thurs night will they still be fresh for Friday night? Can they sit out or do they need to be refrigerated?
Lisa – I’ve made these 24 hours in advance – just make sure to cover them well and refrigerate. Take them out of the fridge about an hour before you want to serve them.
Hi Mel,
Thank u so much for this recipe! I’ve made it twice and once, brought it to a family christmas gathering and got so many compliments, my relatives even wanted to order cupcakes from me! The cake is soft, fluffy and moist… not too rich but has a strong chocolate flavour. I frosted with a regular mint buttercream without the cream cheese though.
I followed your decor and the cakes looked very pretty with an Andes mint and silver liners. 🙂
This is the second recipe from your site ive tried. The first was the double choc muffin and I love it as well. Thank you! 🙂
I
Hi- is it unsweetened cocoa?
Sarah – yes, it calls for natural, unsweetened cocoa.
I made these for coworkers and they were a HUGE hit. Recipe makes too much frosting, though. I’ll probably half it next time around.
This is an amazing recipe….. I didnt add the peppermint extract in the ganache (forgot) but its still decadent. Also, 32 ounces of powdered sugar (frosting) is actually 4cups… just in case anyone needed to know.
I love making homemade cupcakes, and I was looking for a great chocolate cake recipe combining mint and chocolate, two of my favorites. 🙂 I found this recipe, and I thought it looked good, so I decided to give it a try. I had so much fun making them, but the big reward was eating them! I have never tasted such a moist and fluffy cupcake in my life. They are my favorite- definetly my new chocolate cake recipe. They were a huge success in my family, and even with my neighbors! They are definetly the best chocolate cupcakes EVER!!!
Hi Kel – I’ve never made these in advance like that so I’m not sure. I know the baked cupcakes (unfrosted) should freeze and thaw fine but I can’t tell you how the mixed cake batter would fare. Good luck if you try it!
Awesome recipe! I made it for my coworkers and it didn’t even last for 5 minutes! Do you think I can make the cake mix and refrigerate or freeze it to use another day?
I am going to make these Saturday morning for a church getogether!!!!! ohhh man the comments make my mouth water!!! SATURDAY COME SOON<333 I looooveeeee mint chocolate… I painted my nails brown and green today<3
Melinda – the frosting recipe included with the recipe above is the one I prefer for these cupcakes but any cupcake frosting with a taste of mint should be fine. And yes, normal cocoa powder (unsweetened, natural) should work fine, even if it isn’t Hershey’s brand.
What”s the best frosting on these cupcakes buttercream or cream cheese. I live in Australia and not sure if l can get Hershey’s cocoa, can l use normal cocoa powder and heavy cream is that just thinkened cream. Thanks heaps..
I just made these exactly as directed. They were delicious!!!!! Next time I will cut the frosting recipe in half. Thanks a bunch!
An update to my last comment. My kids are obsessed with these! I made them for a family party with a cupcake buffet and these were GONE. We couldn’t fill the plate fast enough. People were asking about them long after we’d run out. I felt bad for the other people who had brought cupcakes. Also, I found Andes mints. Walgreen’s has them year round in their candy section–and Winco (if you have one nearby) has them in their bins and their candy section for much cheaper than Walgreen’s. I’m bringing a batch for my son’s class for St. Pat’s today. I used chocolate jimmy sprinkles for the kids to make them look a little more chocolate minty. They look so great and the frosting pipes beautifully!
Cannot WAIT to make these for my hubsters. He is a mega mint choc fan!!! Thanks for the great recipe!
These are delicious. I made them for a Superbowl party with Junior Mints on the top–my grocery store didn’t have Andes Mints. They’re not seasonal are they? Anyway, everyone loved them! I was worried they might be too minty with that much frosting, but it’s like melt in your mouth. Delicious!
Oh my goodness, these were amazing!! I made them for our Super Bowl/birthday party for our 9 year old and I could not believe how delicious they were. Everyone devoured them – kids and adults alike. I’m so glad you added the comment about the batter being “on the thinner side” because I thought for sure I had ruined it when I added that boiling water, but they turned out moist and sturdy. The frosting is probably my favorite part of all, I could have eaten a whole bowl of that. The cream cheese is such a good counterpoint to the mint. Wow, I want to make another batch right now 🙂