Name: Spicy Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting--Christmas Tea 2023
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 13 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter; 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder; 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 2 cups water, divided; 2 cups sugar; 2 1/2 cups flour; 2 tsps cinnamon; 1 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1/8 tsp ancho chili powder; 2 large eggs; 2 tsps vanilla extract; 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 5-6 cups powdered sugar; 6 tbsps milk; 1 `/2 tbsps cinnamon

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Spicy Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting–Christmas Tea 2023

Moist chocolate cake with just a hint of spice and a cinnamon frosting

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Prep Time 8

Cook Time 13

Course Dessert

Servings 85 mini cupcakes

Equipment

Mini muffin/cupcake tin

Ingredients

Cupcake

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups water, divided
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ancho chili powder
2 large eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract

Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
5-6 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsps milk
1 `/2 tbsps cinnamon

Instructions

For Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fill cupcake pan with liners. Set aside
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa, espresso powder, chocolate chips, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water, whisking until smooth after each addition. When melted and combined, remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cayenne, and chili powder; whisk until combined. Set aside.
Pour chocolate into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in mixture and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula. Scoop batter into prepared liners.
If batter becomes too thick between batches, add a small amount of water to thin.
Bake for 13 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cook in pan for 3-4 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely.

For Frosting

In the bowl of a large stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and lightened in color. Add salt and vanilla. Beat again to incorporate.
Add powdered sugar and milk, beating until fluffy and smooth. Scrape sides of bowl as needed, and adjust milk to sugar ratio to achieve desired consistency. Beat in cinnamon.
Frost and garnish cupcakes as desired.

Notes

This recipe will yield one 9″x13″ sheet cake, 24 cupcakes or 80-90 mini cupcakes. Oven temperature 325 degrees for all. Bake 30-40 minutes for sheet cake, 18-22 minutes for cupcakes or 13 minutes for mini-cupcakes.
Adapted from Nourish and Fete