Andes Mint Cupcakes

devils food cake mix- plus ingredients from box

Chocolate Mint Filling:
1/3 c. chocolate chips
2 T heavy cream
1 t. peppermint extract
1/4 c. powdered sugar

Mint Buttercream:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar, more if necessary
1 T heavy cream
1 t. peppermint extract
green food coloring

Make cake mix according to directions. Fill cupcake liners and bake. Set aside to cool. 

For filling: Melt chocolate and heavy cream in double broiler over medium heat. Once melted, stir in mint extract and powdered sugar. You can either put this in a squeeze bottle or into a piping bag with a small, long tip. Squeeze into middle of cupcakes.

For Buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter in bowl. Mix in extract. Add powdered sugar a little at a time. If it becomes too dry, add a splash of heavy cream. Keep beating in powdered sugar until it becomes good piping consistency. Mix in green coloring until it becomes a mint colored. Pipe on top of cupcakes.

Once frosting is on cupcakes, pipe a little filling on very top and add half of an Andes Mint on top.

Vanilla Bean Caramel

1 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Measure out heavy cream and add the seeds of the vanilla bean in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread the sugar out in an even layer in the bottom of a saucepan. Heat the pan to med-low and when the sides of the sugar begin to liquify start stirring slowly until all the sugar melts. Once the sugar becomes a deep amber color, remove the sugar from the heat and SLOWLY add the heavy cream, whisking hard. (It will bubble up quite a bit once you add the heavy cream- be careful!) Keep whisking in he remaining heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. If it begins to clump, out it back over med-low heat and whisk until it becomes a smooth liquid again. Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes, and transfer to a heatproof container. (I used a mason jar.)

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

Easy, easy!!

10 large or a cup of the mini marshmallows
2 T butter
2 T caramel ( I made homemade vanilla bean caramel last week and used that)
1 bag popped popcorn

Melt marshmallows, butter, and caramel in microwave. Pour over popcorn on waxed paper. Lay in a single layer and let dry. Store in an airtight container.