~Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup milk
Frosting:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper liners. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa, and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light (about 5 minutes.) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating just until blended. Spoon batter into paper liners, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool cupcakes in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely. For frosting: Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir until smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Cool frosting until spreadable. Frost cupcakes.

Notes:

Number of servings: 12