Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

What says winter more than hot chocolate? I love sipping on hot chocolate on cold days. On days where the wind makes it feel like the temperature is in the negatives, a treat like this is exactly what you need. I've fed these to friends, coworkers, students, and even our doorman - regardless of age they've all said the exact thing "Oh, this tastes just like hot chocolate." And that's exactly what this cupcake is going for. It's not a chocolate cake, it's a hot chocolate cake.

This recipe yields 24 cupcakes.

Cupcake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup hot chocolate mix
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat together eggs, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until incorporated.
4. Continue mixing on low while adding remaining ingredients. Alternate between the dry ingredients and milk - about 1/3 of the dry mix, followed by 1/2 the milk, and repeat until all ingredients are added.
5. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 way, about 1/4 cup in each. Bake cupcakes for 16-20 minutes. Use a toothpick to check - if the toothpick comes out dry, your cupcake is ready. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix
• 2/3 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
• 2-6 tablespoons milk
• vanilla marshmallow bits (optional)

Recipe:

1. Beat butter, marshmallow fluff, sugar, and hot chocolate mix at a medium speed 2-3 minutes.
2. Beat in 1/2 tablespoon of milk at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
3. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.
4. Top with vanilla marshmallow bits.