Double Feature Cupcakes With Mexican Hot Chocolate Frosting Recipes

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar, brown sugar, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer until thoroughly blended and creamy. Add egg; beat well. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, coffee, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a second bowl. Blend with a whisk until fluffy and no clumps appear. Alternate adding the flour mixture and 1 cup milk into the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3-full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 25 minutes.
• Beat butter in the bowl of the stand mixer; add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until creamy. Add 2 tablespoons milk; mix until frosting is creamy. Mix in 1/2 cup cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Fit a piping bag with a coupler and tip. Drop piping bag into a tall glass and fold edges down around the glass. Spoon frosting into the bag. Gather edges and twist together. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.

MEXICAN HOT COCOA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven as directed on box. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, the milk, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake cupcakes and cool completely as directed on box.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

DOUBLE FEATURE CUPCAKES WITH MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake pan with liners.
• To prepare the cupcake batter: In a large heat resistant bowl, combine the chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water, without letting the bottom touch the water. Stir gently until melted and well combined. You may use a microwave, if preferable.
• Remove chocolate from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the sugar. Beat with a handheld electric mixture until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each egg to incorporate.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well blended.
• Using ladle or small measuring cup, fill the cupcake cups 2/3 of the way full. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each cup and press down slightly. Bake until the cupcakes are firm to the touch about 20 minutes.
• To prepare the frosting: Using a handheld electric beater, cream the cream cheese and butter together thoroughly. Add the chili power and cinnamon, mixing to incorporate. Add the salt, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. Finally, mix in the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly until smooth. If additional thickening is needed, add more sifted confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until a spreadable consistency is reached.