If someone asks me what my favorite candy is, I say without hesitation York Peppermint Patties. Really though, it’s a tie between those and cherry cordials but I do love peppermint patties! There is something delightfully old fashioned about them, especially the big ones. When I was little I would pretend that they were those soft little cookies from Alice in Wonderland inscripted with the words “eat me” that make Alice grow (after downing the bottle labeled “drink me” which made her shrink). I also like the sound they make when you slowly break them in half next to your ear. I don’t know why, I just enjoy that sound.
Previously, I tried to adapt this recipe into cupcake form, given it’s peppermint patty resemblance, but it was a disaster. The middle stripe just melted in the oven, leaving a weird hollow inside and the outside was crunchy. I had given up on the idea of modeling a cupcake after my fav candy, but then I saw the latest issue of Food Network Magazine which had cupcake facsimiles of all kinds of candy bars. And because I have decided to set aside my lukewarm feeling for chocolate cake and try to find a kickass recipe; I present to you the York Peppermint Patty cupcake.
The basic idea with these is a chocolate cake base topped with a white peppermint cream disc and a chocolate glaze. Me and chocolate cakes have had our differences, but this on was actually decent. I don’t know if heating the cocoa with the butter and water enhanced the flavor of the cocoa in some way but it was really good. I found this cake to be tasty and moist with a light and fluffy texture. I’d still rather have a vanilla cake, but I wouldn’t turn this cupcake down. The topping was amazing- it tasted just like a York Peppermint Patty! Overall I found these cupcakes to be excellent. One taste tester told me they were “absurdly good.” They would be especially perfect for the occasional weirdo who doesn’t like frosting.
butter + water + cocoa goes in the microwave…
comes out of the microwave
But I did have one problem with this recipe. This recipe was supposed to make 24 cupcakes and I got 38.

filled up my 24-cup muffin tin

and I still had this much batter left over!
I may very well have done something wrong to get such a quantity discrepancy. I could have miscounted how many cups of flour I used or something like that. However, whatever I did turned out a pretty yummy little cake so I hope I can do it again. Strangely, I had just enough topping to do all of them.

The peppermint discs started out like this. You roll it out in between sheets of parchment paper (I tried to use wax paper and it was too small and it stuck, so use the parchment)

roll it to 1/4″
and then cut out the discs and place atop the cupcakes.

it did remind me of fresh fallen snow. Are you getting the sensation?

Now for the fun part!

oh, the fun part…

pour on the glaze…

and spread it around, you want to leave some of the white showing though.
Recipe from the Jan/Feb Issue of Food Network Magazine
Mint Patty Cakes
makes 24 (*ahem*38)
chocolate cupcake
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 large egss, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Put the butter, cocoa powder and 3/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the butter melts, about two minutes. Whisk to combine, then whisk in the brown sugar.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the warm cocoa mixture. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; stir into the batter until just combined but don’t overmix.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes spring back when touched, 30-35 minutes. Let cool in the pans 10 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Topping
1 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or cocoa butter, softened
2 teaspoons peppermint extract (I used 1+1/2 cap full peppermint oil)
Beat the confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, shortening, and peppermint extract with a mixer until a tight paste forms. Gather into a ball, place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4″ thick (microwave 15 seconds to soften if necessary). Use 2 1/2″ round cutter or juice glass to cut into discs; reroll the scraps. Place a peppermint disc on top of each cupcake.
Glaze
8 Oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Put the chocolate, corn syrup, butter and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on 50% power until the chocolate melts, about 2 minutes. Whisk to combine, then cool slightly. Spread the glaze over the peppermint topping, leaving some peppermint exposed. Refrigerate until set, at least 20 minutes. Serve cold.