Dress up your plain chocolate cupcakes by adding rich creme de menthe mints, dark chocolate and German chocolate cake to make your cupcakes taste like a little bit of heaven!
1 (18.25-oz.) pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
1/4 cu. butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vegetable cooking spray
Chocolate Buttercream:
1/4 cu. finely chopped or shaved thin crème de menthe chocolate mints for garnish
Chocolate Buttercream
1/2 cu. butter, softened
1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1/4 cu. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cu. (6 oz.) dark chocolate morsels
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat first 5 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer just until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium, and beat 3 to 4 min. or until smooth, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
Place paper baking cups in muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter evenly into baking cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks, and cool 1 hour or until completely cool.
Prepare Chocolate Buttercream:
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to medium, and slowly add milk and vanilla, beating until smooth.
Microwave dark chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at medium for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Gradually add melted chocolate to butter mixture; beat until blended and smooth.
Stir in 1/4 cu. finely chopped thin crème de menthe chocolate mints. Spread cupcakes evenly with Chocolate Buttercream. Garnish with shaved or chopped thin crème de menthe chocolate mints, if desired.