Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes

After last week's success with the Reese's Peanut Butter CupCakes I was ready to try out another candy recipe by way of the Food Network magazine. When I realized I didn't have the peppermint extract needed for the Mint Patty Cakes I remembered seeing a peppermint patty recipe in Martha Stewart's cupcake book.  Buy the book? Not quite ready for that commitment (flashback to this post before judging) This is why I love the internet, a quick Google search and the recipe was mine.

I give this recipe a 4 out of 4 due to its easiness and my freakish fondness of peppermint patties. These suckers are dee-lish-ious. 

And now, for the recipe. If you're anything like me you're probably wondering where the frosting is. Well, my friends, when it says brownie cupcake, it really is just a brownie shaped like a cupcake. This is why Sir Sunderland felt the need too say that this cupcake is more like a brownie, therefore our one cupcake rule need not apply for this batch. 

Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes

From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 12 *my new favorite batch size, not too little, not too many.

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped *chocolate chips work great
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
12 small (1 ½-inch) York Peppermint Patties

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally just until melted, 4 to 5 minutes. *or you can put in microwave for about 2 minutes.
2. Remove bowl from heat. Whisk in sugar and salt until mixture is smooth; whisk in eggs to combine. Gently whisk in flour and cocoa until just smooth.

3. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each lined cup. Place one peppermint patty on top, gently pressing into batter. Top with 2 tablespoons batter, covering patty completely. Bake, rotating tin halfway through, until a cake tester inserted halfway in centers (above mint patty) comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. 

Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.