A Hint of Mint for St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Here is a simple and festive recipe for the holiday. The mint frosting is very subtle and the cake is "semi-homemade" which makes for a really quick baking night. And the Thin Mint on top....really good! Cheers to the Irish (hi Mom), enjoy!

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcake

• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup buttermilk
• Devil’s Food Cake Mix

Chocolate Mint Filling *double this recipe*

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Mint Buttercream

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring
• Girl Scout Thin Mints

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line muffin tins with paper liners

2. Using a whisk, mix sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract together.  Add eggs one at a time, stirring well in between each addition.

3. Alternate adding the cake mix and water then oil, starting and ending with the cake mix.

4. Fill liners ²/₃ full and bake for 15-18 minutes.

5. For the Chocolate Mint Filling: in small saucepan melt chocolate chips and heavy cream until melted (don't overheat!) Stir in peppermint extract and powdered sugar.

6. When cupcake come out of the oven, using a knife scoop a small circle out of the middle of the cupcake.  Fill pastry bag or Ziploc bag with mint filling and cut a medium hole from the bottom corner of the bag.  Pipe the filling into each cupcake. Cool cupcakes completely.

7. For the Mint Buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Add powdered sugar one cup at a time.  Stir in heavy cream and peppermint extract and beat well. Add green food coloring.

8. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Top with half of a Thin Mint cookie if you have them :)

 Please find original recipe here: Andes Mint Cupckaes

Cupcakes for a Bridal Shower

This weekend my Mom, Sister, and I hosted a Bridal Shower for my cousin's soon-to-be wife.  It was such a wonderful day with family and friends so I wanted to share pictures.  I decorated over 70 cupcakes - chocolate, almond, and red velvet cake with either chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, or cream cheese frosting.  They were the perfect dessert after a light lunch.  Here is the recipe for the vanilla buttercream I used.  This is a variation based on a few different recipes and I absolutely loved the consistency and taste of this frosting.  Congratulations to Diana & David, can't wait for the big day!!

Ingredients
(will decorate over a dozen cupcakes)

• 3 sticks butter
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes (this seems long but I promise it's worth it!)
2. Add sugar one cup at a time and mix on low speed
3. Add vanilla extract and mix on medium for 2 minutes more