For the cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and prep 24 cupcake papers. If you only have one pan, stash the batter in the fridge between batches. It’s not the end of the world.
2. Boil some water, then measure out your chocolate into a bowl. Pour 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the boiling water over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smoothish. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
3. With your mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla to your beaten eggs.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the egg mixture.
6. Add the chocolate. Make sure to get it all.
7. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. If you’ve been using a stand mixer, you can abandon it at this point.
8. Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda over your wet ingredients, then add the almonds.
9. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together.
10. Divide your batter between the 24 cups. I use my cookie scoop. Each one gets two generous scoops. Fill them about two thirds full.
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they spring back when touched.
12. Let them cool in the pan for about 2 minutes, then cool them completely on a wire rack if you have it. Or the counter is totally fine, too.

For the frosting

1. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together with your mixer on medium high for about five minutes. It should be light and fluffy.
2. Turn the mixer down to low and add in the peppermint extract and food coloring for your desired effect.
3. Marry your cake and frosting in whatever way you see fit. I used a Wilton 1m tip straight above the cupcake. Just squeeze it for about three seconds. Easy!