yes. you read that right. read it again.
THIN. MINT. CUPCAKES.
fo’ real. and they were pretty good too. recipe courtesy of i am baker. oh, also, a cake… she made a cake… i made cupcakes AND a cake, because well, i’m just not fat enough. and i thought maybe i might have some friends who would be glad to help me polish them both off, but so far i haven’t had many takers – well, i mean *i* have been eating this stuff but… a little help from my friends would help me tremendously. and my waistline. and my self esteem. and my willpower. but if you’re not nearby or haven’t already been badgered by yours truly to indulge, you should definitely check this recipe out for yourself. Amanda {i am baker} is like, a wizard of cakes. oh, and if the idea in itself just wasn’t terrible enough, i decided to hollow the cupcakes out and stuff them with the included chocolate mousse from the cake mix i used prior to frosting. and the cake? four layers. cake, buttercream, cake, mousse, cake, buttercream, cake. yeah, that’s right, MOUSSE. eat your heart out, Martha Stewart.
the only problems i had were:
1. the frosting. Amanda recommends her new favorite “buttercream” frosting recipe, which i totally do not find anything to favorite about. it’s not even made with butter, it’s made with SHORTENING. which, i guess if you like eating sugar-laden lard, is fine for you, but so far i’ve eaten so much of it that it’s making my hair greasy. not really, but i think i’ll try a regular buttercream next time. Amanda says, and i quote: ”Yes its got shortening in it. No I would not substitute butter. Just try it. Once. Then you can go back to butter. Trust me, I always go back to butter. And no, I am not just talking about frosting anymore.” i’m gonna go back to butter. i mean, if you had been there for the first bite of cupcake and watched Courtney (my stepdaughter) dramatically GAG and then SPIT IT OUT IN THE TRASH CAN AND PROCEED TO THROW THE REST OF THE CUPCAKE AWAY WITHOUT ANOTHER BITE… well, let’s just say i was hurt. and we won’t be doing shortening-based anything anymore. (really, the frosting isn’t THAT terrible, the rest of us mature adults were able to manage at least one cupcake – some of us several, ahem, ONE of us – but as soon as she saw me drag out the dreaded can of shortening she started sweating. i think if she’d have not known about it, the whole incident might have gone over better… but… well, you just never know with Courtney!)
2. my terrible photography. please excuse that in advance. i guess it may not be *as* bad as i think, but it certainly leaves something to be desired. but hey, leave me alone, i’m still trying to figure out this ginormous Canon Powershot that i’ve had for over a year and literally have no clue how to use. also, i feel like there’s not really a place in my house (without carpet covered with dog fur) that is a nice “backdrop” for my photography. so i make do. don’t hate.
here’s a couple more pics of the cake/cupcakes in all their minty glory. oh, and if you’re wondering whether or not they really taste like thin mints? well… close enough, for a cake. i will definitely use this recipe again in the future. 
thanks Amanda!
(the best true-color shot i got of these, before it got dark)
(look at all that mousse!!!)
(cake AND cupcakes!)
(me trying to be artistic about it – ignore the door/windowblind background)
until the next time… 
YUM !! I’ll take 1 or 5 !!
FINALLY someone else who will shamelessly eat 5! i knew you were my BFFFFFFFF for a reason…