Andes Mint Cupcakes

Looking for a St. Pat's dessert?  Look no further!!!!  Yum.  Did I say it?  Y-U-M!!!!  Chocolatey and yummy and minty!!!!  OK, so it's a bit of a process and PLEASE!!!! don't do a super-kitchen clean beforehand....you'll definitely need it afterwards if you bake anything like I do!  And let me say, I'm not a fancy-schmancy decorator, but if you are, you could definitely do a bang-up job on this one.  

ANDES MINT CUPCAKES (makes 26-30 cupcakes)

Cupcakes:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups AP flour
3/4 cup powdered cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
2 eggs 
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Mint Ganache:
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Mint Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
32 oz powdered sugar (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp peppermint extract
Green food coloring

26-30 Andes Mints for garnish

Directions:
For the cupcakes:  Preheat oven to 350.  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 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 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 chocolate ganache:  While the cupcakes are baking, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute 1t 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 (like a plastic bottle made like a ketchup bottle) (directions say you can also use a ziplock bag, but I don't see how you could then squeeze the ganache into the cupcake, maybe you're  more creative than I am)....also, it helps to place the bottle (or bag) tip down in a tall glass while filling.  When the cupcakes have cooled, insert the tip of the bottle (don't know how you would do this with a ziplock bag????!!!!) into the cupcake and press gently into the cupcake.  I had enough chocolate to poke three holes into each cupcake and fill each the ganache.  If I had enough sense.....I would have saved a bit of it to garnish the top of each cupcake with a dot or two of chocolate.

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 pepper and vanilla extracts.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add green food coloring until the color you like is achieved.

Frost the cool, filled cupcakes with frosting (using a large star tip....I used #119 Wilton's star tip) or simply spread the frosting in a large dollap with a butter knife or flat spatula.  Garnish with an unwrapped Andes mint and a drizzle of leftover ganache (make sure the ganache is cool or it will melt the frosting when you drizzle it on top of the cupcakes).  Refrigerate until serving.