Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes and dating advice from The Oatmeal

I saw this the other day on The Oatmeal and I thought “hey, that could be about me.  I rock climb.  I bake cookies.  I’m gonna bake cookies shaped like ewoks.”

I don’t really know what an ewok is.

The google provided some direction.  They’re sort of Paul Ryan looking.  Not what I was thinking.  I think I was thinking of gremlins.  Or Oscar the Grouch?

But wait, the underbite, the big sad eyes, throw a towel over his head and Disco here could do a mean ewok impression.

Exhibit A: ewok on the left, Disco on the right.
Photo of Disco by @lot71. Ewok is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.

I was serving up a taco feast at Disco’s house later that night! I’d bring cookies!

Cookies, check! Ewok, check! Oh, The Oatmeal, I’m on my way to being a real girlfriend!

Oh, but wait, by definition, I need a boyfriend to be  a real girlfriend.  Rock climbing and new found ewok knowledge aside, I’m single.   My cookie spatula IS shaped like Darth Vader but the implications of James Earl Jones and meta-cookie eating were making my head spin.  So I made these instead.  The frosting is a revelation; I want to bathe in it.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 3 dozen minis (or 1 dozen standard)

• 3/4 cups unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder (I prefer King Arthur’s Double Dutch Dark Cocoa)
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teas espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teas cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 oz rum
• 1/2 cup sour cream

For the frosting

• 12 Tbs (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 Tbs heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1.6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted (about 2/3 c. chocolate chips)
• 5 oz. white chocolate, melted  (about 2/3 c. chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini cupcake tins with cupcake papers.  Place cocoa, flour, baking powder, espresso powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.  Mix well and set aside.  In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until really good and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.   Add vanilla and rum. Reduce mixer speed to low. Spoon in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full.  Bake 17-19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.  Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Add cream, vanilla, cinnamon, cayenne, until combined.  Reduce speed to low and pour in the bittersweet and white chocolate. Scrape down the side of the bowl and the paddle, continue to mix on medium-high a few more minutes until light and well blended.  If frosting is too soft, place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until it is the right consistency to pipe or spread onto cupcakes.  Refrigerate cupcakes after frosting.  Bring them up to room temperature before serving.