High Altitude Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Moist chocolate mint cupcakes, frosted with fluffy vanilla mint buttercream flecked with chopped chocolate.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings17

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (or substitute half the butter with vegetable shortening, for a whiter color)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp meringue powder
⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp peppermint extract (NOT "mint" extract)
2 oz dark or semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped (or mini chocolate chips)
Andes mints, for decorating

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a standard muffin pan/s with 17 paper cupcake liners.
Make the chocolate cupcake batter as instructed, adding the peppermint extract with the liquid ingredients. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter with a spatula.
Divide the batter between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. With the addition of the chocolate chips, this recipe will yield 17 cupcakes, instead of 15 like the original chocolate cupcake recipe.
Bake the cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently touched or a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes for several minutes in the pan, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter/shortening for 1 minute, until smooth.
With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar by spoonfuls, the meringue powder and salt, mixing until combined. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
Increase the speed to medium and whip for about 4-5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add the chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips, and turn the speed down to "stir" for 1 minute.
Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. If using a piping tip, you'll need to choose one with a large enough opening that it won't become clogged by the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. I used tip #8B.
Decorate the frosted cupcakes with the Andes mints. If you like, you can also decorate the cupcakes with more chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
For the chocolate dipped option, see this post on High Hat Cupcakes for instructions.

Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the extra dark color in the cupcakes, replace 2 tbsp of Dutch processed cocoa powder with black cocoa powder.

Keyword Chocolate Cupcakes, High Altitude, Mint Chocolate Chip