Mint Chocolate Cupcakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies
Mint Buttercream:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons peppermint extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
3 tablespoons milk, divided
3 drops green food coloring paste, or as needed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin tin with greased liners.
Combine boiling water and cocoa powder in a small bowl; whisk until smooth. Allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar in a large bowl; beat together with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Fold peppermint candies into the batter.
Scoop batter into the muffin tin.
Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes are firm to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and set on a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
Combine shortening and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add peppermint extract. Add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Beat in milk, a tablespoon at a time, until buttercream is desired consistency. Fold in food coloring a little at a time to reach desired shade of green.
Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Frost each cupcake with buttercream.