Mini Cupcake Chocolate Box Food

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until combined. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
• Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
• Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. I usually let them cool in the pan.
• Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. I used chocolate buttercream and Wilton 1M piping tip for these pictured cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

MINI CHOCOLATE GANACHE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a scant tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.

MINI CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 16 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Break up clumps lightly with a whisk.
• Mix milk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until well incorporated. Whisk into the flour mixture until well incorporated and there are no clumps. Do not overmix the batter. Fold in pudding with a spatula while scraping the bottom of the bowl. Stir in chocolate chips; batter will be runny and not very thick.
• Pour batter into the prepared cupcake cups with a Wilton® cookie scoop or measuring cup with a spout, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

MINI CUPCAKE BUFFET

Steps:

• Cook's Note: If you only have 1 mini cupcake tin, it is recommended that you mix up one batch of batter at a time and bake it off individually before mixing the next batter.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 (24-cup) mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
• Evenly divide the cake mix into 3 medium bowls. In each bowl, add 1 egg white, 3 tablespoons oil, and 1/3 cup of one of the juices. Mix each for 2 minutes until the batter is well incorporated. Scoop the batter into muffin cups using a mini ice cream scoop or tablespoon measure, filling each a little more than half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, beat together the butter with the softened cream cheese until combined. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated. Evenly divide the frosting between 3 bowls. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of one of the juices to each and mix until well combined. Add a couple drops red food coloring to the cherry flavored, a couple drops blue food coloring to the blueberry flavored, and a couple drops yellow food coloring to the pineapple flavored. Mix until well combined
• Place each icing into a resealable bag and snip off 1/4- inch from the bottom corners of each bag. Pipe each flavored frosting atop its corresponding cupcake. If the frosting becomes too soft, chill in the refrigerator until it firms up enough for piping. Garnish the top of each cupcake with its corresponding garnish.