Mini Cupcake Chocolate Box Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 16 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Break up clumps lightly with a whisk.
• Mix milk, egg, oil, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until well incorporated. Whisk into the flour mixture until well incorporated and there are no clumps. Do not overmix the batter. Fold in pudding with a spatula while scraping the bottom of the bowl. Stir in chocolate chips; batter will be runny and not very thick.
• Pour batter into the prepared cupcake cups with a Wilton® cookie scoop or measuring cup with a spout, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Bake mini chocolate cupcakes in foil liners, then microwave store-bought frosting (milk and dark chocolate flavors) until runny and spoon the frosting on top of the cupcakes. (Place whole almonds on a few before you frost so they'll look like classic boxed chocolates.) Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate on top. Fill a heart-shaped box with the cupcakes.

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a scant tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.