Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Gluten Free Fudgy Mint

This one goes out to all of my gluten free cupcake-loving peeps out there, and to my baby girl. This cupcake has Nora's name written all over it. That little girly girl loves her some mint. So much so that we have to hide the toothpaste. No joke! If she happens to get her hands on a tube we have to chase her down while she gleefully sucks out as much as she possibly can. All those poor candy canes on our Christmas tree didn't stand a chance. Oh, that girl.

Eating gluten free doesn't get any better than these Easy Gluten Free Fudgy Mint Cupcakes.

I'll confess right off the bat that these Easy Gluten Free Fudgy Mint Cupcakes are just a little over the top - but just a little. 😉 A chocolate mint gluten free cake gets filled with hot fudge, frosted with creamy peppermint frosting, drizzled with more hot fudge, and topped with chopped chocolate mints. Welcome to gluten free indulgence, my friends.




I used a gluten free cake mix for this recipe, but you can sub in a regular one if you don't need to eat gluten free. The Andes chocolate mints, Mrs. Richardson's hot fudge, and McCormick peppermint extract are all gluten free products you can find at your local supermarket. If you are an exclusive gluten free eater, make sure you buy the "Marshmallow Fluff" brand of marshmallow cream or that your jar reads "gluten free" on the label. While other Kraft marshmallow products read "gluten free" on the packaging, their Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme does not. Just a word to the wise.




Start by mixing up your gluten free cake mix according to the package directions and adding in 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract.

You can prep your toppings while your cupcakes are cooling. Chop up the chocolate mints so they're ready to sprinkle onto your cupcakes. Also, fill a Ziploc bag with some of the fudge and snip off less than 1/4 inch off of one corner to drizzle on the frosted cakes.




Once your cupcakes have cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.

Fill another Ziploc freezer bag with more hot fudge, snip off 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze some into the center of each cupcake until you can see it coming up out of the top.




Now, make the peppermint frosting. Beat a stick of butter with the marshmallow cream.




Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in 1 tsp of peppermint extract and then another 2 cups of powdered sugar.




Beat in 3 or 4 drops of green food coloring and one to two tablespoons of milk.



Scrape down the bowl and beat for 3 minutes until light and creamy.

Say hello to gluten free indulgence with these Easy Gluten Free Fudgy Mint Cupcakes.

Frost your cupcakes, drizzle them with more hot fudge, and sprinkle the tops with chopped chocolate mints. You may need to push them into the frosting a little.

Is the fudgy minty awesomeness getting to you yet? It's okay to drool. I won't tell. 😉




Easy Gourmet Gluten Free Fudgy Mint Cupcakes
(makes 12 cupcakes)


INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
1 15 oz gluten free chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
3 large eggs
1 cup water
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

For the peppermint frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 7 oz jar marshmallow cream (gluten free eaters, make sure you buy "Marshmallow Fluff" brand or that the label on your jar reads "gluten free")
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 Tbsp milk
3 or 4 drops green food coloring

1 16 oz jar Mrs. Richardson's hot fudge, room temperature
1 cup chopped Andes chocolate mints

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Make your batter according to the directions on your box of cake mix adding 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract.
3. Divide batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven. The cupcakes are done when it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. When your cupcakes are completely cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
7. Fill a Ziploc freezer bag with 1/2 cup of hot fudge, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie if you like), snip off a 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze filling into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
8. Chop the Andes chocolate mints, if you haven't already, so they are ready to top your cupcakes.
9. Fill another Ziploc freezer bag with more hot fudge, twist the top closed, snip off less than 1/4 inch off of one corner, and set aside.
10. For the peppermint frosting, beat the butter in a stand mixer for 30 seconds.
11. Beat in the whole 7 oz jar of marshmallow cream.
12. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 2 cups powdered sugar. Then, beat in 1 tsp peppermint extract.
13. Beat in 2 more cups of powdered sugar.
14. Beat in 3 or 4 drops of green food coloring and 1 to 2 Tbsp milk.
15. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high for 3 minutes.
16. Snip off one corner of another Ziploc freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with frosting.
17. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
18. Immediately drizzle with more hot fudge and sprinkle with chopped chocolate mints.

* If you don't need to eat gluten free use a regular chocolate cake mix. Doctor it up by adding an extra egg, subbing whole milk for the water, subbing melted butter for the oil, doubling the amount of butter, and stirring in a tsp of peppermint extract. You'll need to double the frosting recipe and use more fudge and chopped chocolate mints than the recipe above calls for since it makes 12 cupcakes and your regular cake mix box will make 24.