Have a plethora of fresh chocolate mint in your herb garden this season? Make these super moist and fluffy Coconut Cupcakes with Fresh Chocolate Mint Buttercream.
This summer, I grew an herb garden on my deck. And it flourished. It flourished like crazy. Maybe even a little too well. As in, my chocolate mint plant is absolutely out of control. And I basically need to incorporate chocolate mint into my every meal until the first frost comes (which will likely be tomorrow judging by how cold these Boston nights/mornings have been... ugh!). To be honest, chocolate mint isn't the most useable of herbs, but Chris picked it up because he thought I'd like it. And I do! It's so cool that this herb really does smell and taste like chocolate mint. But let's just say the plant got a little out of control and it's not like I can incorporate it into every meal.
Luckily, as you can see below, ALL my herbs are happily flourishing!
By now you know me and how my mind works, so it will be no surprise that I decided to incorporate the fresh chocolate mint into cupcakes!
Coconut has been making me SO happy lately. I've probably been eating it a little too much (same with pineapple... can you say, I clearly want to be on a tropical island??). So, I made a coconut cupcake and topped it with fresh chocolate mint buttercream and added on a sugared chocolate mint leaf on top for good measure.
COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH FRESH CHOCOLATE MINT BUTTERCREAM RECIPE
This cupcake recipe is a simple one, but it does require a few steps and the sugared chocolate mint leaves need about an hour to set, so make sure you plan ahead. The cupcakes are packed with both shredded coconut and coconut milk. Yum!
And, not only does the buttercream involve a lot of chocolate mint leaves (finely chopped, of course!), but I even sugared some chocolate mint leaves to top the cupcakes with.
Hint: If you have a flourishing herb garden and are not sure what to use all those chocolate mint leaves for, sugar them and snack on them. OK, or just stare at them. Because they're super pretty. I know it's still August, but these would also be just lovely on all kinds of winter and holiday treats.
Of course, I'm no stranger to cupcakes. But these... these coconut cupcakes are extra special.
They're super, super, super moist. I know y'all hate that word, but unless you have a better word to use and can let me know, I'm sticking to it. It's better than "eating these cupcakes is like biting into clouds," right? But fine, they're light and fluffy, too. Kind of like clouds. But I'm not saying that. I'm going with moist.
I ended up coring the cupcakes and piping a little bit of the buttercream into the cupcake, too. Because no matter how moist and fluffy a cupcake is, a little buttercream filling is always a happy surprise.
The cupcakes are packed with coconut and vanilla flavor with the most delightful hint of chocolate mint from the buttercream and filling. If you've never had chocolate mint before, I can tell you that it's mostly minty with just a hint of chocolate. I need to figure out how to preserve some for the holiday season because I'll want to use it in every dessert ever.
I just love how mint is both so summery and so wintry all at once. This chocolate mint buttercream does not discriminate between seasons.
If you don't have access to chocolate mint, you can obviously make these coconut cupcakes with regular mint in the frosting. If you wanted to, you could also add some chocolate shavings to the buttercream for a similar (and completely delicious) affect. And if you have a plethora of fresh chocolate mint like I do, please let me know what else you're planning to do with it!
Have you been growing any herbs this summer?
If you love the chocolate mint flavor combination, be sure to check out my Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cupcakes and my Mint Chocolate Hummus. If you're looking for more to do with fresh chocolate mint, I bet it would be great in this Iced Fresh Mint Mocha from Catching Seeds!
Coconut Cupcakes with Fresh Chocolate Mint Buttercream
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup light coconut milk
- ½ Tbsp vanilla
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups shredded coconunt
- Fresh Chocolate Mint Buttercream (recipe below)
- Sugared Mint Leaves (recipe below)
Fresh Chocolate Mint Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- 25 chocolate mint leaves, finely chopped
- 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 Tbsp light coconut milk
Sugared Mint Leaves
- 1 large egg white
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 12 chocolate mint leaves
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 papers.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking flour, and salt.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar, alternating with coconut milk. Add the vanilla and mix until just blended.
- In another separate medium bowl, whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer or whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, until just blended. Then fold in the shredded coconut.
- In prepared cupcake tin, fill cupcake papers about ¾ of the way with batter.
- Bake cupcakes for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in tins for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cupcakes are completely cooled, core out the middle with a knife or cupcake corer.
- Using a pastry bag with tip, pipe about a tablespoon of fresh chocolate mint buttercream into the cupcake. Then pipe frosting onto the top of the cupcake. Top with sugared mint leaves.
Fresh Chocolate Mint Buttercream
- In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together butter, salt, and chopped mint leaves until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly blend in confectioners' sugar, cup by cup until well-combined.
- Mix in coconut milk. If your buttercream is too thick, add another teaspoon milk at a time.
Sugared Mint Leaves
- Whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Put sugar into a separate small bowl.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush mint leaves with egg. Dip mint leaves in sugar to completely cover.
- Place mint leaves on wire rack and let dry for at least an hour.
Meghan says
These are beautiful! I didn't plant mint, but it's growing anyway!
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says
Gahhh I love everything about these cupcakes! Definitely a great idea to have a buttercream filling and frosting!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love this cupcake combination! Coconut sounds like it pairs so well with chocolate mint. And it must be so fun to grow a herb garden! I haven't done that yet, but hope to next year. Love the butter cream on here, too!
Megan says
That buttercream sounds incredible. i think I need to plant some chocolate mint next year!
Justine says
I really don't think I've ever had chocolate mint but now I feel like I'm missing out! These look so yum!!!
[email protected] The Gastronomic Bong says
Oh! those candied mint leaves looks incredible. You are right I can stare at it all day long. . The cupcakes look moist and delicious. Love the little surprise! !
Jeannie Tay says
Hi Sues...what lovely exotic cupcakes you've got there...I love coconuts so this would be my favorite too! Love the white frosting with specks of green in it!
Odetta says
These photos are soo nice. Loving that sugared mint!
Beth says
These cupcakes look great. I love the way you adorned them with the sugared mint leaves - adorable! Our Toronto nights are starting to get pretty cool too.
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
I am obsessed with mint! And it grows like crazy taking over everything! I would have never thought to pair mint with coconut, but it totally makes sense. These cupcakes are almost too pretty to eat, but I think I could give it a try. 😉
Joanne says
Does the chocolate mint really taste like chocolate?! And if so, why do I not have an herb garden full of it in my nonexistent backyard?
These sound amazing. Love the unique flavor. I'm sure these are like a breath of fresh air!
Rachel says
These are incredible! I've heard how mint can take over a garden, so I've always steered my husband away from planting it (he is the overseer of our urban garden!). These look amazing!
FoodFlav says
Waw! These Cupcakes looks so amazing, feeling how it's when taste.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Absolutely love your cupcakes, especially the way you decorated them with the sugared mint leaves.
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Mint really takes over, and you have found the perfect thing to do with it! These cupcakes and fresh chocolate mint buttercream look and sound amazing!
Shannon says
these sound amazing! what a great combo 🙂
Gail says
These were great for our women’s sale. Great comments on being different, tasting great and looking beautiful! Thanks
Sues says
@Gail- Thank you for letting me know! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed them!