Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate cream frosting

 

Dark Chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate cream frosting 

and white chocolate chips on top!

Recipe originally from Ghiradelli's chocolate baking book...
I changed several ingredients! 

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 cup and 2 tbsp. flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp. whole milk

1/3 cup Starbucks dark chocolate frappuchino

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Frosting Ingredients:

6 oz. semi-sweet baking bar or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter- softened

1 cup white chocolate chips-( for the tops!)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 1 cupcake pan with paper liners (12 cupcakes).  

 Stir together in a medium sized bowl the dry ingredients. (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt)

In the mixer (or another bowl), whisk together the egg, brown sugar, and white sugar.  

Add the milk, starbucks, and melted butter.

Put in the dry ingredients.

Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake molds evenly- fill about 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan.  Continue to cool them till they are room temperature.

To Make the Frosting:

 Melt the chocolate chips or pieces in a bowl- put a saucepan on the stove with an inch of water in the bottom.  Place the bowl on top of the pan- so the simmering water is beneath the bowl and can melt the chocolate.  Stir until smooth.

Heat the cream until hot, remove it from the heat and whisk it with the melted chocolate.  Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool until it's just warm.  Add the soft butter- whisk it in.  Let the frosting sit in the fridge for about an hour, so it can harden.  

Use a pastry bag to squirt the frosting onto the cupcakes, sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the finished cupcakes.  Enjoy!

Makes: 12 cupcakes