Best Hot Chocolate Cupcakes Recipes

DOUBLE FEATURE CUPCAKES WITH MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake pan with liners.
• To prepare the cupcake batter: In a large heat resistant bowl, combine the chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water, without letting the bottom touch the water. Stir gently until melted and well combined. You may use a microwave, if preferable.
• Remove chocolate from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the sugar. Beat with a handheld electric mixture until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each egg to incorporate.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well blended.
• Using ladle or small measuring cup, fill the cupcake cups 2/3 of the way full. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each cup and press down slightly. Bake until the cupcakes are firm to the touch about 20 minutes.
• To prepare the frosting: Using a handheld electric beater, cream the cream cheese and butter together thoroughly. Add the chili power and cinnamon, mixing to incorporate. Add the salt, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. Finally, mix in the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly until smooth. If additional thickening is needed, add more sifted confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until a spreadable consistency is reached.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin lightly or line cups with paper liners.
• Stir flour, sugar, cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Add water, applesauce, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar; mix until batter is smooth.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, at least 15 minutes.
• Place chocolate and margarine in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Stir 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper into the frosting.
• Spoon frosting over the cupcakes and swirl around to cover the tops.

HOT CHOCOLATE AND GRAND MARNIER "CUPCAKES"

Steps:

• Line 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers. Combine chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and liqueur in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Sift flour over; using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour. Fold in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among muffin papers. Cover and chill until cold and firm, at least 25 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake cupcakes in papers on baking sheet until tops are puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter attached, about 7 minutes. Serve cupcakes with whipped cream.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH COCOA WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For the Cakes, preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 8 (6-ounce) oven proof coffee cups or ramekins with no stick cooking spray with flour or grease and flour cups. Place on large baking sheet.
• Mix flour, 2/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 4 tablespoons of the cocoa powder, baking powder, ancho chile pepper, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla. (Batter will be stiff.) Spoon evenly into prepared cups.
• Mix remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Spoon 2 tablespoons boiling water into each cup. (Do not stir.)
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are dry to the touch. Cool cups slightly on wire rack.
• For the Cocoa Whipped Cream, beat cream and confectioners' sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add cocoa powder and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. Serve cakes in coffee cups while still warm. Dollop with Cocoa Whipped Cream. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.
• Make Ahead: Prepare and bake cakes as directed. Store in refrigerator overnight. To reheat cakes, microwave on HIGH 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through.
• Test Kitchen Tip: Recipe for Cocoa Whipped Cream can be doubled. Serve remaining whipped cream on other desserts, hot cocoa or coffee beverages.
• Notes from The Little Kitchen: I used 3.5 oz ramekins, ones you can find at World Market. I added 2 1/2 Tbsp of batter into each ramekin and used 1/2 Tbsp of the sugar-cocoa powder mixture on top.

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Combine water, butter, oil, and chocolate in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until melted and fully combined.
• Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in hot chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla extract.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 17 to 22 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH WHIPPED TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Cream sugar and butter for cupcake together in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• While cupcakes cool, combine cold milk and pudding mix for topping in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Let pudding mixture sit for 5 minutes.
• Mix 1/2 cup whipped topping into pudding mixture. Pipe the pudding on top of the cooled cupcakes. Place a dollop of remaining whipped topping on top of each cupcake. Garnish with marshmallows and sift cocoa powder over tops.

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix frosting and marshmallow creme. Spoon into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut 3/8-inch tip off 1 corner of bag. (Or spoon mixture onto cupcakes instead of piping.)
• Pipe 3 small dollops of frosting mixture on top of each cupcake to look like melted marshmallows. Sprinkle with cocoa. Press pretzel half into side of each cupcake for cup handle. Store loosely covered.

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• CUPCAKES: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with 18 liners. (There are so many liners to choose from now. I get mine at craft stores.)
• In a large bowl, mix your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Do this with a wire whisk to blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.
• Add the oil, prepared cooled hot cocoa, vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients. Use the whisk or regular mixer to blend ingredients until no lumps remain. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
• Divide the batter evenly into the lined cupcake tins.
• Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes and then move them to a rack to cool completely.
• FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's creamy and slightly stiff. Do not over beat. (You could use a Cool Whip type of cream if you desire, but not any from a can.)
• ASSEMBLY: Pipe or mound the whipped cream on top of the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a mini candy cane tucked into the side of the cupcake to resemble a handle.
• GARNISH: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint sticks or something of your own choice on top of the whipped cream.
• Serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate any left overs. (To keep plastic wrap from touching and smashing your cupcake tops, put a mini marshmallow(s) onto a toothpick(s) and insert in the cupcake(s) and it will help keep your plastic wrap from touching it.)