Chocolate Cupcakes: Theme and Variation

I had to make a lot of cupcakes this weekend, for two different events. So I used two boxes of chocolate cake mix and made two different kinds of cupcakes.

To make the star-shaped chocolate-coconut cupcakes, I used these star-shaped foil baking cups that I found at the dollar store (they're made by Reynolds and they have stars, hearts and other shapes...one box of cake mix makes 24 star-shaped cupcakes, or you can use them to make brownies or cookies or whatever). I filled them with the chocolate cake batter then pressed a coconut-filled Hershey's Kiss down into the center of each one. When they were baked, I topped them with a dollop of chocolate frosting, another coconut Kiss, and a sprinkling of toasted coconut.

To make the chocolate-peanut cupcakes, I used foil baking cups. I filled each one with chocolate cake batter, then pressed a mini peanut butter cup into each. After baking them I topped them with homemade peanut butter icing (surprisingly easy and yummy) and half a peanut butter cup.

Peanut Butter Icing:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Just beat the cream cheese and peanut butter with an electric mixer, then beat in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Whipped Cream Frosting

I've never been a fan of traditional frosting...it's a bit too sugary for me. When I make a cake, I usually just whip up some heavy cream and sugar and use that as frosting. I found this new recipe from America's Test Kitchen a few weeks ago and just got around to trying it.

MMMMMMM.

Ingredients:
8oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
2 c. heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat at medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy, pausing to scrape down bowl as needed.
2. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping down bowl as needed.

yields 4 1/2 cups frosting.

So So yummy.