Minted White Chocolate Cupcakes

I love cupcakes. Everything about them. They are the perfect size, and can take you back to your childhood days of bringing treats to school on your birthday and colored sprinkles. I personally tend toward selections that have a richer taste than powerered sugar frosting, and my last selection was this:

Minted White Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12 regular sized cupcakes

5 Tbsp of fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, lightly softened

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup self-rising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 oz white chocolate, chopped

confectioner's sugar, for dusting

To start, preheat your oven to 350. I have recently discovered that my timer on my over for the preheat is completely off. I have an additional thermometer that hangs in the back, telling me the REAL temp. We've lived in this apartment for 3 1/2 years and I'm now getting the oven temperature right, I'm so ashamed. Anyway, line your muffin tin with papers. Put the mint into a heat-safe bowl, and pour boiling water over the mint and let stand for 30 seconds. Drain off the water (I used it to make tea, yum) and pat the mint dry. Put the mint and suger into a food processor, blend until finely chopped.
Beat the sugar-mint mix, butter, eggs, flour, and baking powder until light and creamy. Stir in 1/2 oz of the chocolate then divide the batter between the papers. Scatter the remaining chocolate of the batter.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cakes have risen and just firm to the touch. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack and lightly dust with sugar once cool.

Now I thought these cupcakes had a texture more like biscuts. Note no moisture in the recipe.. hmm. I might try them next time with just a 1/2 cup of milk or 1/4 cup oil. We'll see. Despite the texture, they were fabulous. The hint of mint and white chocolate are a nice little change up from chocolate, but only occasionally. Let's not get too crazy!