Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Candy Cane Buttercream

I LOVE hot chocolate! Like, willing to spend eight bucks at the coffee shop to get the good stuff. So when the Young Women in my ward came to my door, full of flattery and telling me how great of a cook I was, I said "Of course I'll make cupcakes for your program." I can't resist flattery. Or a reason to bake. I always can use a good reason to turn that oven on. And I really wanted to make some hot chocolate cupcakes.

These are great! Moist and rich and the perfect amount of sweetness. I actually got a little adventurous and threw some Marshmallow Bits in them this time but that was a mistake, they completely disintegrated while baking. I'm just going to leave those out of the recipe. They would be really fun as a decoration though. 

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Candy Cane Buttercream

For the cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 packet Hot Chocolate

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup liquid creamer (Irish cream flavor is great!)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° and line muffin pans with cupcake liners. In bowl of stand mixer combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Heat milk and creamer until just warm. Mix hot chocolate packet in. Add eggs, hot chocolate/milk mixture, vegetable oil and vanilla to dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

For buttercream:

 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
4 candy canes plus 2 more for garnish

Place candy canes in blender or food processor and pulse until candy canes are mostly ground, with just a few little pieces. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until creamy. Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add milk until you reach desired consistency. Add candy canes and mix well. Place buttercream in piping bag fitted with a large star tip and frost cupcakes. Garnish with crushed candy canes.

  

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