Chocolate Lovers Surprise Cupcakes

My father-in-law's birthday was last weekend and he LOVES chocolate!  We all have been busy the past couple of weekends so we haven't been able to celebrate like we normally do.  My MIL was in town for the day so I wanted to make Bill some birthday cupcakes to send home with her.  My middle daughter helped make them and my youngest enjoyed licking the spatula.  These cupcakes were so rich and delicious!  The surprise is in the bottom of the cupcakes where the chocolate chips settle and melt.  If you want the chocolate chips throughout the cupcakes, toss them in flour before adding them to the cake mixture.  Happy Belated Birthday Bill!!!

Cake Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge cake mix
1 1/3 C water
1/2 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 C semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cupcake tins with paper liners. 

In a large stand mixing bowl, add all ingredients and beat until nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Use a ice cream scoop to fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the frosting.

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

4 T unsalted butter, softened
4 T butter flavored Crisco
1 tsp vanilla
3 C powdered sugar
7 tsp cocoa powder

1/4 C milk - give or take a little

In a large stand mixer bowl, add the butter and Crisco and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and beat to combine.  Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the creamed butter mixture.  Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, until the right consistency.  I needed it to be thick so I could pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.  You can make it thinner if you want to spread it on with a spatula or knife.

The thick frosting makes it easy to pipe and keep their form

Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and decorate.  I used multi colored Jimmies and a mini Hershey bar in the middle.  This is a great way to use up some of the Halloween chocolate in your house.  Enjoy!