Place 10 cupcake liners in 10 cavities of your muffin pan. Set side.
In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar and cocoa powder. Cook on medium, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and the mixture is grainy but fairly uniform.
Remove from the stove. Cool to room temperature.
Whisk in vanilla extract and salt.
Add eggs and whisk until smooth.
Gently fold in flour, just until no streaks remain. Do not overmix.
Fill cupcake liners almost all the way to the top.
Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops look cracked slightly. Do not overbake.
Cool completely in pan.
!to make the topping:
In a bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and whip 1 minute longer on medium speed. Add peppermint extract and whip for 10 seconds. Stir in food color if using.Transfer into a piping bag or ziploc bag with snipped corner.
Decorate completely cooled cupcakes with the topping just before serving.