Hot Chocolate Cupcakes (Recipe)

Bunny and I came home early from school/work because she wasn't feeling too well. So between her visits to the restroom and 2 minute naps, I decided to bake cupcakes... hot chocolate cupcakes! Perfect for this cold and dreary day.

What you'll need:

1 box (4 oz.) milk chocolate baking bar, chopped (Bakers)
1/2 c water
1 c butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 medium/large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c cake flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c low fat buttermilk
1 can (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 package (11.5 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 bag (12 oz) mini marshmallows
1 ice cream scoop
Preheated oven to 350˚

Boil water; add chopped chocolate and stir until consistent and smooth. Set aside and let cool.

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar until fluffy. Add one yolk at a time, blending thoroughly.

Add melted chocolate to butter mixture and vanilla extract.

Slowly combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk to chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form then fold into batter.

Use ice cream scoop to pour batter into cupcake liners for consistency.

Bake for 15-25 minutes. (Depending on your oven)

For the fudge frosting:
Combine morsels and condensed milk in a pan on low heat and stir until smooth.
Pour frosting while warm over heated cupcakes when they come out of the oven.
Frosting will keep cupcakes moist and dry smoothly over cupcakes.
Add marshmallows.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, cocoa powder or peppermint pieces and serve. You could also add Reddi-Wip® and shaved chocolate. The possibilities are immeasurable!

Enjoy!

*Makes 2 dz. cupcakes

You can also bake batter in a bakeable (is that a word?) mug for 20-30 minutes for a mug cupcake. 

**And of course, you could always poke holes in the cupcakes when out of the oven and lightly pour Kahlúa® over to soak in the spirit for a grown up cupcake ;)