Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
I came across this recipe which combines sweet & spice, weeks ago and just had to save it. This combines two of my favorite food flavors!
When people ask me my favorite food (like I ask my students as one of my ice-breakers at the begining of the year) what their favorite food is, I am so often torn between “CHOCOLATE” & “chips & SALSA”. Now, at first look – it may seem that those two things do not go together. I first realized what a perfect combination those flavors were a few years ago when my grandmother bought me a Ghirardelli dark chocolate, chili-infused bar of chocolate. I that point I realized that the world is a good place. Well, that is what this cupcake does for you… brings together the sweet and the spice in a perfect combination that makes me smile a huge smile!
“Sweet and Spicy” – that explains me pretty well. I try to be sweet and do things for others, but I’m stubborn and don’t take garbage from anyone so I guess that I can be called pretty spicy usually too, and we wonder why I love those two flavors, haha! Enough about me – prepare to get into the kitchen for the best of both worlds!
Recipe (from Cheeky Kitchen – check out her photos & blog!)
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or veggie oil)
- 1/2 cup milk (I used unsweetened Vanilla Milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (+) teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup dutch cocoa (Hershey’s Dark worked well)
- 1 1/4 cups white flour
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped (whoops: skipped)
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (SKIPPED – I used cinnamon instead)
In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add the brown sugar (fresh, soft brown sugar to avoid grainy-ness) mixing until the cream is thick enough to pipe on top of cupcakes. Stir in the cayenne. Spoon cream into a large pastry bag (or ziploc bag), then pipe it on top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and red chili peppers cinnamon for garnish.
These cupcakes were a special treat for my “kids”. I am such a “mom” and always am looking out for others and making sure they are behaving and fed and all of that good stuff. Because of this, over the years at Big Boulder – I have come to be known as “Mommy Rachel” (the multiple trips that I have organized to Mt. Snow including booking hotels, doing food shopping, cooking dinner, packing sandwiches, having breakfast stuff, and organizing everyone to pay and be happy have really helped extend the “Mommy” part). I look forward to having kids of my own and then have my other “kids” teach my kid how to ski!
So, hit the slopes & warm up by the fire with a Hot Chocolate Cupcake (or enjoy these after any other random activity that you would like to use as an excuse)