CAKE MIX CUPCAKES! :D
Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Swirly Mocha Frosting
makes 24 small cupcakes.
CUPCAKES:
One 515g (approximately. ~500g is about right) pkg chocolate cake mix
One 113g pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup (175mL) water
1/2 cup (125mL) vegetable oil
1 cup (250mL) chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven according to cake package. (usually 350 F)
2) Line muffin pans with paper cups. In a large bow, beat together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil.
3) Stir in chocolate chips.
4) Spoon batter into paper cups (~2/3 cup full if you're planning to ice them!)
5) Bake according to cake package. (usually 25-30 min). COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE PREPARING ICING.
variations: Cake mix can be devil's food, vanilla, strawberry, or even brownie mix of same weight. Pudding mix flavours that go well with chocolate include vanilla and banana. Chocolate chips can be semi-sweet (dark), white, large chunks or mini chips; or even more than one kind.
I used brownie mix + chocolate pudding mix + white chocolate chunks for the ones you guys tasted.
ICING (optional):
4 oz (125 g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (50mL) coffee-flavoured liqueur
2tbsp (25mL) instant expresso powder or coffee granules
1/2 cup (125mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 to 3 1/2 cups (750-875 mL) icing sugar {More icing sugar = thicker frosting]
1/4 cup (50 mL) milk
1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract *NOT artificial!
1) In a double boiler (or small metal bowl on top of a water half-filled saucepan), melt chocolate with liqueur and expresso powder. Remove from heat.
2) Using electric beaters, beat butter alternately with icing sugar and milk until creamy. Beat in melted room temperature chocolate, then vanilla.
3) Frost cooled cupcakes in billowy swirls using a piping bag.
Storage:
Freezes beautifully even when iced. Freeze in single layer on a baking sheet then pop into resealable freezer bags/air-tight containers.
This is for you, Skewrly!