Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

The holidays are over and you might not be in the mood for any more baking, but I guarantee these delicious cupcakes will be worth your time!  If you’re like me, you’ve got a handful of candy canes left over, and these cupcakes are the perfect solution for those last few stragglers.

Growing up, I loved to cook and bake with my mom.  I thought she was amazing!  She made these delicious raspberry tarts, we made chocolate chip cookies, and we made rhubarb pie with rhubarb from her little garden in our backyard.

Since having my daughter, we too have enjoying baking together.  We make cookies and pies, but Ella’s favorite thing to make is anything with frosting, and cupcakes fit the bill.  I myself love cupcakes and the easier the better!  Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are cute, simple and delicious.  And they’re the perfect “hot chocolate” for this unusually warm January we’re having here in Arizona!

The recipe is from Family Circle

Makes 12 cupcakes

Prep 20 minutes

Bake 350° for 25 minutes

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup milk

Topping

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup solid vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk or water

1¼ cups mini marshmallows

3 candy canes

For Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350°.  Line indents of a standard-size 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium size bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy, 1 minute.  On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full (about 3 tablespoons of batter per liner).

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack; let cool.

For Topping:

In medium-size bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat confectioners’ sugar, shortening and milk or water until smooth.  Spread over cupcakes, about 2 tablespoons for each.  Top each cupcake with mini marshmallows.  With a serrated knife, cut wrapped candy canes into 2-inch pieces.  Unwrap and tuck a piece into each cupcake.

Per cupcake – 291 calories; 11 g fat (5 g sat.); 3 g protein; 46 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 124 mg sodium; 52 mg cholesterol

Do you enjoy baking with your kids?  What are your favorite things to bake together?