These chocolate mint cupcakes were inspired by several sources. As my mother mentioned in one of her earlier posts, our virtual women’s workout group that meets weekly to endure through barre together has become so much more than a fitness circle. After an hour of working out, our chit-chat conversations ironically tend to land on the topic of food. We share stories about recent endeavors in the kitchen and swap recipes.

Not long ago, our barre friend Debbie shared a chocolate cake recipe that received enthusiastic praise from her husband, two kids, and lucky neighbors. She told the workout group that this particular recipe was notable because of its moist texture and balanced chocolate flavor that is not overwhelmingly rich. I was excited to test out the recipe and decided to concoct my own version. My creation was inspired by Nadiya Bakes, my new favorite Netflix show, thanks to a watchlist recommendation from another barre friend. In the first episode, Nadiya whips up these cupcakes that contain delightful surprises for the tongue: a cookie buried at the bottom, pops of fresh fruit, and unexpected flavors in the frosting.

As a former Girl Scout, one of my favorite things about March are the boxes of Thin Mint cookies that start to fill the pantry. I thought up a recipe that contains that delicious chocolate-mint combination found in Thin Mints and also incorporates the mouthful of surprises from Nadiya’s cupcakes. My cupcakes feature a quintessential Irish liqueur and display the colors of the Irish flag, making them a fun St. Patty’s Day treat! So here is Debbie’s moist chocolate cake laced with mint extract, a mint Oreo hidden at the bottom, topped with a Bailey’s Irish Cream frosting and a sprinkling of orange zest. Thanks to our barre friends for constantly fueling us with recipe ideas while also keeping me and Mom accountable with our exercise regimen so we can indulge in these delectable eats nonstop!

Tips for making chocolate mint cupcakes.

Chocolate.

Melt chocolate over a double boiler to melt the chocolate.  If you don't have a bona-fide double boiler, place a non-plastic (metal or ceramic) bowl over a saucepan of water, allowing the water to simmer under the bowl and generate a steady and indirect heat. Be sure not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. This will cause the chocolate to seize, turn grainy and rough. Ocassionally, gently stir the chocolate with a spatula to allow all the chocolate to melt.

Frosting the chocolate mint cupcakes.

The butter for the frosting should be room temperature.  This will allow the frosting to be easily piped.  If you don't own a frosting bag, place your buttercream in a ziplock freezer bag, cut one of the corners which will be your piping "tip". Be conservative when cutting the hole. It is better to cut a small hole and continue cutting to the desired diameter than to cut an opening that is too large and then have to re-bag the frosting.