Hottie Chocolate Cupcakes By Sandra Lee Recipes

TIE-DYED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-muffin) tins with cupcake papers; set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, water, and oil. Use a hand held electric mixer and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl and add both bottles of sprinkles. Mix for another 30 seconds.
• Use a ladle to fill each lined muffin cup 2/3 of the way full. Using oven mitts, place cupcakes in preheated oven and bake for 21 to 26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean with no wet batter. Use oven mitts to remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting, about 15 minutes.
• Once cool, spread 2 tablespoons frosting on each cupcake. Using various gel colors, start in the middle of the cupcake, make circles outwards to the edge of the cupcake Begin at the edge of the cupcake and drag the tip of a toothpick to the center of the cupcake to make a spider web effect. Repeat this step, turning cupcake as you go.

CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE CHERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups with paper liners; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, butter, eggs, and cranberry-cherry juice with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down side of bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each prepared muffin cup. Spoon 1 teaspoon cherry pie filling on batter in each cup and top with another 1 tablespoon cupcake batter.
• Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups and cool completely on wire rack.
• For frosting: Place the white baking chips in a medium bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and corn syrup over medium heat until nearly boiling. Pour the hot mixture over the white baking chips; stir until completely smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir the cream mixture into the white frosting until well mixed; set aside.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips on medium for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Place the maraschino cherries on paper towels to dry. Dip each dry cherry into melted semisweet chocolate and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet until chocolate hardens.
• Frost each cupcake with white chocolate frosting and top with a chocolate-covered cherry.

CHOCOLATE PEAK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Butter and flour 2 (6-cup) cupcake pans. Stir hot water and coffee crystals in large bowl until crystals dissolve. Let cool. Add cake mix, oil, and eggs to coffee in large bowl. Beat by hand or with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter. Place 1 caramel candy in the center of each. Pour remaining batter over caramels. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cakes have puffed. Cool cupcakes in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and let cool completely before frosting.
• Cut off tops of cupcakes, reserving both the tops and bottoms. Frost cupcake tops with chocolate frosting. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chilled marshmallow creme atop each cake bottom. Place cake tops back on top of cake bottoms. Dust tops with cocoa powder and sprinkle with coconut.