Mint Aero Cupcakes (Choc Mint)

Mint Aero cupcakes, made from scratch. Rich and ultra-moist chocolate cupcakes, piled high with a creamy mint buttercream frosting and chunks of Aero chocolate. Chocolate mint lovers, this recipe is for you!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy to make – no fancy techniques or equipment needed. The cupcake batter and the mint buttercream are super easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool so you can frost them!
• So delicious – chocolate + mint is such a classic flavour combination. You’ll love everything about them from the super moist chocolatey base to the creamy mint frosting. If you have mint chocolate chip ice cream, you will adore these cupcakes!
• Make ahead – the cupcakes can be made ahead and frozen, ready to be frosted and served at parties, birthdays, special occasions or for afternoon tea.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Plain flour – also called all-purpose flour. The structure of the cupcakes.

• Cocoa powder – use Dutch process cocoa for a rich chocolate flavour, or unsweetened cocoa powder if this is what you have.

• Baking powder – the leavening agent, for lift and rise.

• Sugar – use regular white, granulated sugar.

• Egg – one large egg, to bind the mixture and provide moisture. Use free-range where possible.

• Canola oil – to make the cupcakes super moist. I use canola oil, but you can use any other type of mild, neutral-tasting oil like vegetable oil.

• Vanilla extract – to bring out the chocolate flavour in the cupcakes.

• Coffee – is entirely optional, but a little espresso or instant coffee mixed with the boiling water really intensifies the chocolate flavour of the cupcakes. Don’t worry, you won’t taste coffee in the finished product.

• Mint extract – or essence allows you to control the strength of the peppermint flavour in the buttercream. Start with 1-2 teaspoons and adjust, to taste. If using peppermint oil, you only need a tiny amount as the flavour is quite intense.

• Butter – use unsalted butter for the buttercream. Salted butter will add a strange flavour to the sweet peppermint. Make sure the butter is softened at room temperature (not melted) to be able to beat without lumps.

• Aero mint chocolate – or any of your favourite mint chocolate (Peppermint Crisp, Cadbury, after dinner mints) or even crushed candy canes or mini Oreo cookies for decorating.

Step by step instructions

**Full ingredient list and detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1 – Make the cupcake batter;

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt) in a bowl.

Add the egg, vanilla, canola oil and milk and whisk until just combined.

Carefully add ½ cup of boiling water or ½ cup liquid that includes boiling water and a shot of espresso coffee (or 1 teaspoon instant coffee). Gently whisk until smooth.

Use an ice cream scoop to evenly divide batter into a cupcake tin lined with paper cases.

Step 2 – Bake;

Bake the cupcakes until domed, fluffy and completely cooked through. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Step 3 – Make the mint buttercream frosting;

Using electric beaters, beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy. This will take a couple of minutes.

Alternately add the icing sugar and milk and continue to beat until all of the icing sugar is gone and the mixture is soft and fluffy. Add the peppermint extract to taste. Start with 1-2 teaspoons and add more, if needed.

Use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes and decorate them with any mint chocolate, sprinkles, chocolate chips or decorations you prefer.

Expert tips

• Don’t overfill the cupcake cases. This is important, or the cupcake batter may spill out over the sides of the cases when baking. Fill them to ⅔ full, no more. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes when made in a standard cupcake tin (⅓ cup capacity with paper cases slightly higher). Adjustments should be made if using a smaller or larger tin.
• Any leftover frosting can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for around 1-2 weeks.
• Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. As the buttercream is butter-based, it will melt and slide right off if added while the cupcakes are hot!
• To achieve the same frosting result as pictured, I used a Wilton’s 1M piping tip.
• The batter for these cupcakes is slightly runnier than regular cupcake batter. This is completely normal and everything will come together in the oven.
• Use a little green food colouring to achieve the minty-green colour in the buttercream frosting. Use a natural food colouring to avoid artificial colours and additives, or leave it out entirely if preferred and decorate as normal.
• If the buttercream frosting is too thick, adjust by adding a little more milk until you reach your desired consistency.
• Sift the icing sugar to avoid lumps in your icing.
• The coffee used in the cupcakes is entirely optional, but adds another note to the rich chocolate flavour (you won’t taste coffee in the final result). A small teaspoon or ½ teaspoon of instant coffee mixed with the boiling water is all that is needed. If using a shot of espresso coffee, be sure to adjust the amount of boiling water you add to the batter, to avoid adding too much liquid. The total should be ½ cup.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in September 2019, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in June 2022.