Junior Mint Cupcakes

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. 2
   In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift to combine.
3. 3
   In another bowl, add the buttermilk, coffee and oil.
4. 4
   Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and cream it until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and while the mixer is on high, slowly add the sugar and cream the mixture until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on medium speed, alternating between the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture, add each a bit at a time until all three are well combined in the stand mixer.
5. 5
   If you are using the cute brown floret baking cups, just place them on a baking sheet, they don't need to go in a muffin tin. If you are using standard cupcake papers, just line them into the muffin tin as normal. Fill standard cupcake papers 2/3 of the way full and cute floret papers only 1/2 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20-25 minutes.
6. 6
   For the Mint Buttercream:
7. 7
   In a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Your butter needs to be softened, cold butter won't work. With the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar until all combined (you can add less if you prefer a less sweet frosting). Then add the milk and the extract and beat until well combined. Set aside.
8. 8
   For the chocolate sauce:
9. 9
   Place the chocolate chunks into a heat safe bowl.
10. 10
    Heat the cream until hot and steamy, but not boiling (microwave is fine but you can also heat on the stove over medium) and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir for about 3 minutes or until well combined. If you have never made ganache or chocolate sauce you may get a bit concerned about half way through. It is completely normal for your sauce to look like chunky chocolate milk for the first few minutes, just keep stirring and it'll all work out.
11. 11
    Once your cupcakes are cool, pipe the buttercream on, top with a spoon full of the chocolate sauce then garnish with a Junior Mint, if you'd like.