Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes With Cocoa Whipped Cream Food

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CUP CAKES WITH COCOA WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Add sugar, buttermilk and oil to a stand mixer (or large bowl if you're using a hand mixer). Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mix well.
• In a separate large bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
• Add 1/3 of your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour in your espresso mixture, blend, then continue with two more addition's of the remaining dry ingredients.
• Pour blended batter about 3/4 full into cupcake pans lined with cupcake liners. Bake until the cupcakes have puffed up with a deep brown color, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a baking rack.
• FILLING:.
• While cupcakes are baking, using a double boiler, melt chocolate until completely smooth. Let cool. In a large bowl, mix cooled chocolate and mascarpone cheese until well blended. Scoop mixture into a piping bag.
• With a knife or melon baller, carefully create a hole in the center of each cupcake. Pipe the chocolate mixture into the hole you just created, about 1½ tablespoons of chocolate into each cupcake.
• TOPPING:.
• Mix heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, cocoa and vanilla in a stand mixer and whip to stiff peaks. Add to a piping bag and pipe over each cupcake in a circular motion.
• Decorate with one or more mini marshmallows and pinch of cinnamon if you like.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE WITH COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring milk to a low simmer over medium heat.
• Add cocoa powder, sugar, salt, vanilla and spices and whisk vigorously to combine.
• Serve warm with coconut (or regular) whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
• To make Coconut Whipped Cream:.
• Place your coconut milk in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. Upon removal, be careful NOT to shake the can as you want the cream to remain separated from the liquid.
• Open the can and scoop the top layer of cream into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip on medium-high until soft peaks form. (Add a dash of the remaining coconut liquid if it's too thick.).
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip again to combine. Taste and adjust flavor/sweetness accordingly. Serve with hot cocoa and reserve the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for later use. Should keep for several days.

HOT CHOCOLATE COCOA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350F for a shiny metal muffin pan or 325F for dark or nonstick muffin pan.
• Place paper baking liner in each of the 12 regular size muffins cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide batter evening among 12 muffin cups.
• Bake 17-22 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 plastic bag; seal bag.
• Cut 3/8 inch tip off one corner of bag (or spoon mixture on top of cupcakes instead of piping).
• Pipe 3 small dollops of frosting mixture on top of each cupcake to resemble melted marshmallows.
• Sprinkle with cocoa.
• Press pretzel half into side of each cupcake to resemble a cup handle.