Week 7. "Happy Valentine's Day!" Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Ok, so this is last week's cupcake! It was really cold outside and I wanted to do something that would make people feel like they were curled up by a fire...and hot cocoa was the first thing that came to mind! Also, I was excited to finally make some cupcakes that look as pretty as they taste!

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Hot Cocoa Cupcakes



Devil's food cake:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

frosting:
2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows, divided
4 (1 ounce) squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder


Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Sift in flour, cocoa and baking soda. Stir to combine. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Place 1 cup of the marshmallows, the chocolate chunks and milk in large saucepan; cook on low heat until marshmallows and chocolate are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly. Cool at least 30 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping.

Frost cupcakes with the whipped topping mixture; top with the remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Sprinkle evenly with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftover cupcakes in refrigerator.


**Hannah's Hints**

* Definitely "accidentally" spill this batter and frosting on your hand...sooo delicious! Devil's food cake is something that I feel should be made and eaten much more often...with every kind of frosting!!

* The cake recipe was originally for an actual big cake, and I adapted it for cupcakes...basically just use cupcake liners like you normally would!

* You will have a TON of frosting left over...use it for something else...I have yet to figure out what it should be, but it tasted so good I just couldn't throw it away!

* I suggest you eat chocolate and marshmallows as you go along...you'll never use it all, so you might as well snack, right? And who doesn't feel like a kid while eating marshmallows straight from the bag?