Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream

Deep, dark devil’s food cupcakes with crème de menthe buttercream are the perfect treat for those who love the combination of chocolate and mint. Shaved chocolate mint candies are the perfect garnish for these tasty cupcakes. If you like thin mint cookies, or mint chocolate chip ice cream, these cupcakes are for you!

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my peppermint hot chocolate cupcakes and my vanilla cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my cupcake recipes in one place.

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Chocolate mint cupcakes

Some people call these “grasshopper cupcakes” for the sweet mint and rich chocolate combination. I love the pale mint color frosting against the devil’s food cupcakes.

I’ve made thousands of chocolate cupcakes in my lifetime, as I’m sure some of you have as well. You wait with anticipation for that dark chocolatey goodness only to find it falls short of being really chocolatey. Not the case here.

What you need to know

If you are looking for some St. Patrick cupcake ideas, this one checks all the boxes. The recipe makes 3 dozen, which is perfect for holiday gatherings or birthday parties. You can easily cut the recipe in half for a smaller batch.

You can make the frosting a day ahead of time, if needed. Store it in an airtight container to keep it soft.

Ingredients

• Cocoa powder – I use a dark cocoa powder for this recipe.
• All purpose flour – This provides structure in the cupcakes.
• Baking powder and baking soda – Gives the cupcakes their fluffy texture.
• Salt – Salt brings out the flavor in baked goods.
• Sugar – Used to sweeten the cupcakes.
• Vanilla – I like vanilla bean paste, but vanilla extract works too.
• Eggs – Eggs add moisture and structure to the batter.
• Sour cream – Sour cream adds tang and moisture.
• Chocolate – Melted chocolate adds a deeper chocolatey flavor.

How to make

Here’s a quick summary of how to make devil’s food cupcakes. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe. 

1. Prep – Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Whisk dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
2. Cream – In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Combine – Add eggs, then chocolate mixture and flour mixture to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
4. Scoop – Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. I like to use a #20 cookie scoop to ensure they are all the same size.

Creme de menthe frosting

American buttercream made with crème de menthe makes this an adults-only cupcake, but there is a non-alcoholic version to make it kid-friendly! The mint frosting recipe is super simple. It is an American buttercream, so no fussing with egg whites like you would for a Swiss meringue buttercream.

To make crème de menthe buttercream

Butter and powdered sugar are beaten together until light and fluffy. The addition of mint in the form of green crème de menthe gives the frosting a pale green color and subtle minty flavor. If you would rather make it without the alcohol, there is a note in the recipe for doing just that. A bit of mint extract and a drop of food coloring will give you a similar result.

How to make chocolate curls for garnish

This is a really easy thing to make that looks a bit posh. Get the rectangles of chocolate mint candies and stash them in the fridge for few minutes. Using a vegetable peeler, gently pull the peeler toward you along the longest side of the candy. The lighter you press, the thinner it will be and it will curl a bit easier. If you press harder, the curl will be thicker and not quite as curly.

You want the candy to be cool but not very cold. If it is too cold, it will be brittle and it’ll break into shards, which is also fun. After a few candies, you will quickly find your groove and what you like best. You’ll see what I mean when you make them. It is very easy to do, it just takes a little patience.

Devil’s Food Cupcakes FAQ’s

Variations and substitutions

• Chips – Add in a cup of chocolate chips if you want SUPER chocolatey cupcakes.
• Peppermint Buttercream – For a minty buttercream without the color, try this one.

Serving suggestions

For more Saint Patrick’s day sweet treats, check out my sweet Irish Soda Bread, Irish Cream Bundt Cake, and my Irish cream Whiskey Balls.

Helpful tools and equipment

• I love these green cupcake liners. They are perfect for parties and they match the frosting!
• A cupcake pan with a little place to grip is the best. I have stuck my thumb in too many cupcakes and muffins to choose anything else.
• If you are making these without the crème de menthe, you’ll need mint extract and a drop of green food coloring gel.
• I used this piping tip to frost the cupcakes.

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Originally published 3/13/13, most recent update 3/6/26.