Tasty Tuesday: Easy Dressed Up Mocha Cupcakes
I made these dressed up cupcakes last week and was happily surprised with how pretty they turned out. I used this awesome decorating tool from pampered chef that I bought years ago. It was so fun playing around to find the perfect look for these rich mocha sweet treats. 
(please click to enlarge)
Easy Dressed Up Mocha Cupcakes by Heather McCullah
1 box duncan hines cake mix (swiss chocolate flavor)
1 cup prepared coffee (cooled off)
1/4 cup of milk (1%, 2% or whole)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Mix all the ingredients with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Fold in 1/4 cup of chocolate chips (semi sweet are perfect). Pour into prepared muffin tins and bake as directed on the box.
Frosting:
1 tub cream cheese frosting
1 tub dark chocolate frosting
1/2 tsp instant coffee
Jazz up your store bought frosting by mixing a cream cheese flavored tub of frosting with 3 – 4 tbsps of dark chocolate frosting. Then add in 1/2 a teaspoon of instant coffee. Mix well. Decorate using a pastry tip or flat knife and add a few chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles for an elegant finish! I bought the little red rose candies at a local pastry shop. So cute huh?!
Variation:
Add in a tablespoon or two of coffee flavored liquer to the batter (before baking) & to the frosting for a really unique & rich flavor.
Do you have a secret for baking the cupcakes? Mine are always pretty boring looking and tasting. Yours look divine.
Yummy! I like the way you doctored up the store bought cake mix. I’ll have to give this a try….
Mine never look as pretty as yours…and that sounds like one tasty recipe…..another I have to try! This makes me want to lick the monitor!
Sue…if you try these, they won’t be dry! The milk & chocolate chips help with that. Try and take the cupcakes out 1 to 2 minutes sooner than any recipe says…that will help too. When you add milk, sour cream or applesauce the cupcakes usually stay pretty moist, but the most common reason for drying out is cooking them too long. They cook a bit after you remove them from the oven and people forget to estimate for that.
Julie & Tammy-You’re sure to love them!