Hersheys Quick'N'Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

I have not made cupcakes in SO long and oh my goodness it was a blast. Since the last time I made them, my decorating skills have slightly evolved, hence the more elaborate icing design than just slapping it on with a knife (which is just as good too!). I added some chocolate chips to the batter because I need multi-textured food; it really is bad I know. I also doubled the icing recipe, but shh...don't tell anyone. :)

Seriously, these were probably the best cupcakes I've ever made, thanks to Hersheys of course.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup shortening, softened (usually I HATE using shortening, but don't substitute here. This really did make a lot of difference in the texture).

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup hot water

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or milk)

Creamy Fudge Frosting-recipe below

Directions.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with paper baking cups.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add shortening, eggs, milk, water, and vanilla; beat on low speed of mixture for 1 min. (try doing this without a mixer...your arm will get a good workout I promise). Beat on medium speed for an additional 3 min or until mixture is smooth. Fill cups 1/2 full with bater.

3. Bake 15-20 min. or until the center of each cupcake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. 

4. Prepare frosting and frost the cupcakes however you desire. 

CREAMY FUDGE FROSTING:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1/2 cup cocoa

3 2/3 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

1/3 cup of water (you may not use all of this. If you add too much, just add more sugar).

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; stir until smooth and well blended. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt alternately with water; beat with a spoon or whisk until smooth and creamy.

Nutella Cupakes

This came from one of my favorite blogspots, Fresh From the Oven. Just so I get this out, I really feel guilty for using these pictures that aren't my own. I feel like I'm committing the unforgivable sin of plagiarism. I won't keep doing it, but I hate giving a recipe without a picture...it's no fun and gives no motivation or desire for you guys to make it. 

I made these cupcakes and they were very easy and delicious. I used the mini-muffin pans to make them smaller, but they are so pretty and swirly!

Ingredients:

10 tbsp. butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 & 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Nutella, 12 tsp. (1 tsp. for each cupcake)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. The batter won't look smooth. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains. 

Fill each muffin liner with bater. They should be 3/4 full. Top each cake with 1 heaping tsp. of Nutella; swirl in with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the Nutella. 

Bake for 20 min. and allow to cool on a wire rack.