Chocolate New Year's Eve Cupcakes

Call it dedication or procrastination, but before packing, running errands, and attending to last minute chores before we left for Iowa on Sunday morning, I decided, ‘I’m going to bake cupcakes for the blog instead!’ With New Year’s Eve tomorrow, I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging without a festive and delicious recipe to ring in 2014! I even incorporated my Sailor Jerry Chocolate Rum Balls to create the iconic ball drop countdown in New York City! Whether you’re keeping it low-key or throwing a big NYE bash, you don’t want to leave these cupcakes off the menu!

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Cake recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

Frosting:

4oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Silver sprinkles (optional)

For rum ball topper:

Rum balls – recipe here

Wooden skewers cut in half or cake pop sticks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) and line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

(1.) Melt butter and baking chocolate in a small sauce pan over low heat. (2.) Stir often until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (3.) In a medium sized bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (4.) In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

(5.) Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and beat until mixed in. (6.) Slowly beat in flour mixture and buttermilk until completely mixed in. Batter should be thick and fluffy. (7.) Divide between muffin cups and place in the oven. (8.) Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Place muffin tin on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tin and place on the cooling rack for another 10-15 minutes or until completely cooled.

While waiting on the cupcakes to cool, prep your frosting!

In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy.

Stir in vanilla extract. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides as needed, until completely mixed in.

Spoon into a pastry bag and frost cupcakes when they have completely cooled. Top with sprinkles. To create the rum ball topper just push the rum ball onto one end of the skewer and then place in the center of the cupcake.