Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream

Cupcake Palooza day 5

Right about now I'm asking myself how the heck I got roped into doing this. Surely there is an easier way to win friends and influence people....and this frosting kind of reminds me of those buttercream mints you get at wedding receptions. Just for the record...

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream
24 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 Devils Food Cake Mix
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 bag Andes mint chips
1 tsp mint extract

1. Mix cake mix, milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and mint extract in mixer until combined. Mix on med-high speed for 2 minutes
2. Fold in Andes mint chips
3. Put 1/4 c. batter in cupcake liners
4. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes
5. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks

Frosting
1 cup room temp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 T. milk
2 lbs approximately powdered sugar

1. Cream butter, vanilla and salt together. 
2. Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk until the frosting is the desired consistency. 
3. Add mint extract until the frosting is as "minty" as you want. Mine was pretty minty.
4. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring if you want green frosting. It's totally not necessary if you choose to cut it out.
5. Pipe onto cupcakes.
6. Decorate with leftover Andes mint chips, a full Andes mint or chocolate sprinkles