Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

I should not be allowed to just hang around grocery stores.  When that happens, I get ideas.  Ideas about things to bake, even though I had decided NOT to bake anything for the week.  Oh goodness.  So here's what happened...  I had to refill a prescription so I figured I would run in, they'd hand me my prescription, and I'd be out of Wal-Mart in no time.  Boy was I wrong.  I waited in line for 10 minutes just to have them tell me it wasn't ready yet, so I thought I would entertain myself by walking around the store. Big mistake.

After walking around and thinking about my plans for the weekend, I was going out of town and staying with my friends' parents, I thought I should probably bake something.  I wandered around and thought about what to do.  "Candy canes are always festive.", I thought to myself and picked some up.  I sent a text to Dominique for inspiration.  I saw chocolate cake mix, "I haven't made cake cookies in a while." and picked up a box.  What to do, what to do.  Then Dominique sent a text back, mini chocolate cupcakes!  Of course.  People love tiny things, and don't feel as bad about eating them.  It was decided.  All I needed now was a frosting.  I thought about what I could do, and remembered I have a bottle of peppermint extract at the house. Peppermint buttercream, perfect!

When I got home I decided against cheating by using the chocolate cake mix and looked around for a cake mix recipe online.  The Hershey's Chocolate Cake recipe, found here, seemed to go over well with everyone who'd made it so I decided to give it a shot.

I adapted the buttercream frosting I made for the Car Bomb cupcakes and, though I was initially a little concerned that it tasted like toothpaste, I was happy with it after refrigerating it overnight.

8 t (1 stick) butter
3 C powdered sugar
Splash of milk
1 t peppermint extract

After the cupcakes cooled, I frosted them and topped with crushed candy canes. 

I took these with me as a hostess gift for my friend Julie's parents who were gracious enough to let me stay with them for the weekend.  I've now re-named myself Julianna (a combination of their actual daughters' names; Julie and Joanna) and have invited myself to their family.  Thank you so much John and Betty Jo for allowing me to stay with you, I had a wonderful weekend!