Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Icing

Wednesday 9/7/2011: I am a small group leader at my church and just formed my first group of seven amazing girls. We had our first social in order to take some time to get to know each other. I decided to host a Mexican Fiesta at my house. Along with some enchiladas I baked Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Icing (recipe to follow). The new mixer was awesome! It cut the time in half and was pretty much effortless. I love the pour shield! I was a little concerned making a recipe with boiling water especially when the batter was thin and I could see clumps of cocoa but they turned out great. The icing was easy to pipe and I chose to pipe shells on the perimeter and rosettes in the center. The small group loved them and my parents enjoyed some of the left overs. I froze half of the recipe and can't wait for them to reappear later!!!

Recipe:

By Diane Phillips from readersdigest.com

·         2 cups granulated sugar

·         2 large eggs

·         1 cup whole milk

·         1/2 cup vegetable oil

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

·         3/4 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

·         1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1 cup boiling water

How to make it 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 standard cupcake pans with liners, or coat with non-stick cooking spray.  In the large bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, until blended. 

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, and gradually add to the sugar mixture, until the mixture begins to come together. 

Very slowly, add the boiling water, and blend until the mixture is smooth. 

Ladle or scoop the batter into the cupcake tins, filling ¾ full.  Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 18 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of each one comes out clean. 

Cool the cupcakes in their pans on wire racks until cooled.

Healthy Cooking Tip

At this point the cupcakes can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for 6 weeks.  Defrost and ice with the cinnamon butter cream frosting. Cover the frosting, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 weeks.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

·         4 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

·         1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

·         1 tablespoon vanilla extract

·         1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

·         2 tablespoons milk

·         Chocolate curls for garnishing cupcakes

How to make it 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir the sugar, to aerate it.  Add the butter, vanilla, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon milk, and beat on high speed until the frosting is spreading consistency. If the frosting is stiff, add a few more drops of milk, beating after each addition.  Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish with chocolate curls. Makes enough to frost two 9-inch layers or 24 cupcakes.