Andes Mint Cupcakes

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This Andes Mint Cupcake recipe is exactly as advertised – we’ve taken the classic Andes Mint candy and turned it into a cupcake. And it is every bit as delicious as you might think!

Andes mint cupcakes on wire rack with one in front.

For those of you who are long time readers, you know I’m not a huge fan of chocolate and mint. But there is just something about Andes Mints. They’re creamy and have twice the amount of chocolate than mint. So, I did what I love to do, and tried to create a cupcake version of these candies.

This homemade recipe makes soft chocolate cupcakes with a moist crumb. They are better than any box mix!

The light and airy green buttercream frosting with cool minty flavor is the perfect counterbalance to the chocolate cupcakes. I went with a light mint flavor so as to not overpower the frosting. It allows for a taste ratio of more chocolate than mint – just like an Andes Mints.

These cupcakes are so moist and delicious. One important thing to remember with all cupcakes is to not over bake them. Leaving them in the oven any longer than needed will dry them out.

While I don’t looooove chocolate mint, I do love chocolate. If you want to skip the mint, try my moist and delicious chocolate cupcakes. For those of you who like chocolate and fruit, you can’t beat these chocolate cherry cupcakes. And if you want to sneak some veggies into your cupcakes, these chocolate zucchini cupcakes are amazing.

Andes Mint Cupcake Details

  • Taste – These andes mint chocolate cupcakes have a rich cocoa flavor. The frosting is cool and minty, but not overpowering.
  • Texture – You’ll find the cupcakes to be very soft with a light crumb.
  • Ease – While there are two components to making these cupcakes, the hardest part is unwrapping the Andes Mints for decoration.
  • Time – These cupcakes take about 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. The frosting also takes about 20 minutes to make. Overall time, including cooling and frosting.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

  • Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour. The crumb isn’t as tight as when using cake flour, the but the cupcakes remain incredibly soft.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: I prefer dutch process. It adds a ton of chocolate flavor.
  • Oil and Butter: Vegetable oil and unsalted sweet cream butter are both used in this recipe. Cocoa powder can tend to dry out baked goods, so both are needed to provide extra moisture for the cupcakes.
  • Sugar: Both granulated and light brown sugar are used in this recipe for sweetness. Brown sugar also helps to keep the cupcakes from drying out.
  • Eggs: Eggs help to hold the cupcakes together and add richness. They should be at room temperature.
  • Leavening: Both baking soda and baking powder are used to make these cupcakes rise.
  • Vanilla Extract: I almost always use homemade vanilla extract but any high-quality pure vanilla will work. Vanilla bean paste is also a great option if you want more flavor.
  • Salt: Just a little salt is added to balance the flavors.
  • Milk: Milk adds light moisture to these cupcakes.
  • Confectioners’ sugar: For sweetness and smooth consistency in the frosting.
  • Salt: Just a pinch is all you need.
  • Heavy Cream: Creates a silky frosting texture.
  • Green mint extract: You can use peppermint extract if you can’t find green mint.
  • Green food coloring: You can use as much or as little as you want – I like a light green colored frosting so only use 3-4 drops.
  • Andes crème de menthe – Unwrapped, for garnish

Recommended tools

Andes mint cupcake with a bite taken out.

How to Make Andes Mint Cupcakes

It’s very easy to make these homemade Andes Mint Cupcakes from scratch. It takes just a few minutes to whip up the batter and they bake in about 18 minutes. Check them carefully and don’t overcook – you don’t want them to dry out.

  1. Get ready to bake – turn on the oven to 350°F and line 20 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream together the oil, butter and sugars at medium-high speed until fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add in the vanilla.
  5. Add half the flour mixture and beat until just combined, then add the milk and mix until almost combined before adding the rest of the flour mixture.
  6. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake. Let cool before frosting.

Make the Mint Frosting

The frosting is a simple buttercream with mint extract and food coloring so it’s cool, luscious, and minty. As with any buttercream, the butter should be at room temperature but not too soft.

  1. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, cream and green mint extract with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. If it is too soft, you can add powdered sugar until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
  2. Add the food coloring and beat until blended.
  3. When the cupcakes cool completely, frost them using a pastry bag with a frosting tip and garnish with the unwrapped Andes candies. You can also garnish with mint chocolate chips.
Andes mint cupcakes on tabletop.

Tips For Success

  • Make sure to properly measure the flour. Using weighted measurements helps with consistency in baking.
  • Set the eggs and butter for the cupcakes out at room temperature for about an hour before you start cooking. These ingredients combine together better with the wet ingredients when at room temperature.
  • These cupcakes rise significantly. It’s important not to fill the muffin cups more than half full or the batter will spill over the sides as it bakes and rises. Muffin cups hold 4 tablespoons of batter. I think 2 tablespoons is about the right amount of batter for these cupcakes.

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use oil and butter?

Yes. These cupcakes are moist and delicious because of both oil and butter in the recipe. Using only butter will make the cupcakes too dry. Using only oil will make the cupcakes heavy.

Do I have to use Green Mint extract?

Green mint extract can be a bit overpowering or harder to find. You can use peppermint extract instead. Feel free to adjust the minty-ness to your liking.

Storage & Freezing

  1. Cupcakes can be made one day in advance before frosting. Refrigerate overnight and frost the cupcakes the next day.
  2. Frosted cupcakes can keep covered in the refrigerator for three days.
  3. Frosted and unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  4. The frosting can be made 1 day in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
  5. Frosting will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw and bring to room temperature to soften before using. You can beat it with an electric mixer if needed.

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Andes mint cupcakes on wire rack with one in front.

Andes Mint Cupcakes

Yield: 20 cupcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

The best homemade chocolate cupcakes topped with thick and creamy mint frosting. These cupcakes taste just like the Andes mint candy!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (105 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (180 milliliters) milk

For the frosting

  • 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, soft
  • 3 cups (360 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon green mint extract
  • 3-4 drops green food coloring
  • chocolate mint candies, optional

Instructions

Make the cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 20 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the oil, butter, and sugars at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk. All half the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix at low speed until almost combined. Add the milk followed by the remaining flour mixture and mix until well blended.
  5. Fill the prepared muffin cups half full, about 2 tablespoons of batter each. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few dry crumbs. Remove cupcakes immediately from pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting

  1. Using a handheld mixer and a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, cream, and peppermint extract. Beat on medium speed until smooth.
  2. Add the food coloring. Beat until blended. Top the cupcake with the frosting. Decorate with chocolate mint candies if desired.

Notes

Mint extract: Some may find that green mint exact is overpowering even though it's true to the Andes mint flavor. You may prefer to use peppermint instead as it's not so strong.

Filling muffin cups: This recipe will rise significantly. It's important not to fill the muffin cups more than half full or the batter will spill over the sides as it bakes and rises. Muffins cups hold 4 tablespoons of batter. I suggest only using 2 to fill the cups. If you have a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, it will be helpful in portioning the batter.

Make ahead tip

  1. The cupcakes can be made 1 day in advance before frosting. Cover and refrigerate each overnight. Frost the cupcakes the next day.
  2. Or the cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and frost as desired.
    Keep frosted cupcakes covered and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring it to room temperature just before serving.
  3. Frosting will keep for up to 2 weeks stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You must let the buttercream come to room temperature by setting it out on the counter for a couple of hours, then beat it with an electric mixer if needed.
  4. Or the frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to use, place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Let stand at room temperature to soften before use.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 0gSugar: 27gProtein: 2g

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients you used in the recipe.

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149 Comments

  1. Hi, How many grams is 6 tablespoons of butter?

  2. These really are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! The cupcake itself is so light and moist it’s like eating chocolate air! The frosting is so perfect! Thank you for sharing this with us.

  3. Does this recipe work as a tray bake? I dont want to make 20 cupcakes….

    1. While I’ve tested the recipe this way I imagine it would be fine to do. The bake time would need to be adjusted.

  4. Tipsuda Seabrook says:

    Hi Jen,

    I’ve used your recipe for frosting my daughter’s birthday cupcakes. It’s a great success. Not only it was very easy to work with when piping but also holds the shape well outside the fridge. Thank you very much from Perth, Western Australia.

    Have a fine Friday.

    Tipsuda

    PS. I wish I could attach a picture of my cupcakes here. ?

  5. Kameron Richardson says:

    How would you alternate between the milk and flour mixture

    1. Mix in half the flour mixture, mix in the milk, then mix in the remaining flour mixture.

  6. This chocolate cupcake recipe is amazing! It paired really great with the mint frosting as well. I will be using this chocolate cake/cupcake recipe for any future baked goods. I also used the peppermint extract instead of the mint. I tried them both on a spoon before mixing in my main bowl and the mint was okay but reminded my boyfriend of mint toothpaste and I didn’t want that haha. I also grated some Andes Mints into the frosting as well, just to add a little flavor/texture and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing!

    1. This is fantastic, Maria! I hope to retest the recipe with peppermint extract soon. Thank you so much for the glowing review!

  7. Hello!
    Quick question, what tip did u use to pipe the frosting. Or if u have a better (easier) suggestion to make them look as good as yours id appreciate it. Thank you ?

  8. Thank you for this recipe! My girls and I loved making it together and they came out so so good!! Can I use the same base recipe minus the cocoa for vanilla cupcakes? I can’t get over how nice and even they cook!

  9. I am excited to try these! they sound delicious!! But I would like to make Mini-cupcakes, any thoughts on cooking time?

  10. BETTY Cox says:

    Do these need to be refrigerated?