Mint Buttercream Frosting #1 (Cream Cheese Frosting)

After a disappointing 49'ers loss to the Giants, the match up for Superbowl XLVI was set for the New York Giants versus the New England Patriots.  In a way, I was a wee bit glad that the 49'ers weren't in the Superbowl because it saved me from sitting on the edge of my seat for another big game.  Surprisingly enough, I watched the whole game.  Shocking.  Most of the time, I become bored with football as baseball has my heart.

In the spirit of watching the Superbowl with friends, I baked mint chocolate cupcakes.  My favorite ones are from Dots Cupcakes in Pasadena, CA.  Contemplated about whether or not to decorate my cupcakes blue with a red stripe...pipe NY or a big G or Giants...  In the end, the verdict was to make the frosting green since mint chocolate frosting is usually green.  That and the fact that making blue with red meant two different containers of frosting using different bags and tips for decorating.  Instead, my decor was on the container. (I made more than 6 cupcakes but this is for pictures. lol)

Mint Buttercream Frosting #1
Prep Time: 15 minutes        Cook Time: None
Serves: Frosts 18 cupcakes unless your cupcake is frosting:cake --> 50:50.  lol.
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
4 cups of Confectioner's Sugar (otherwise known as Powdered Sugar)
6 oz of cream cheese
2 tsp of mint extract (For different flavors, use vanilla, orange, coconut, etc extract, possibilities are endless!)

Directions:
Put all ingredients into a big mixing bowl.  Use a mixer at a low speed to create frosting. Once the frosting is smooth, free of lumps, your frosting is done.

Adding color:
Stick a toothpick into the food coloring of your choice.  Dab it into the frosting.  *A little goes a long way.*  Mix until the frosting is of the desired color.  If it is not a dark enough color, use a clean toothpick to repeat process.

Frost cupcake using a butter knife or frosting tips.  (Note: I used Tip 1M to frost mine.  There may be a lesson on how to use tips in the future..)

Added the chocolate crunchies since that is what Dots Cupcakes puts on theirs too.  YUM!!
*Frosted 18 cupcakes with this recipe.  Approximate cost of 18 frosted cupcakes ~$6.  Another reason to bake instead of buy.  It would cost you $50...maybe more to buy at a cupcake store!!*

Simply delicious!!!

Enjoy!!

P.S. My favorite moment of Superbowl XLVI was when Ahmad Bradshaw stopped for about two seconds as he slowly sat down into the end zone.  That was the game winning touchdown for the NY Giants.

*Note: I used Peppermint Extract since that's what I had on-hand.  Next time, I will buy Mint Extract since Peppermint was a bit too minty.