Mallo Cup Cupcakes

June 29th, 2012

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 18-23 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water or 1/2 cup warm coffee

24 Fun Size Mallow Cups, frozen

For the Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
6 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, add the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and espresso water mixture or coffee. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until all ingredients are well combined and the batter is mostly smooth.

3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into 24 cupcake wells. Add a Fun Size Mallow Cup on top of the batter, pushing it slightly into the batter. Add a little more batter (about 1 1/2 teaspoons and spread it around to cover the Mallow Cup. It doesn't need to be perfectly covered.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-23 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.

5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.

For the 7-Minute Frosting

1. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and egg whites. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. This will take about about 2 minutes.

2. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat mixture on high speed until glossy and voluminous, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Notes:

- Cupcakes will not be perfect on top, but don't worry because you'll cover it with frosting.
- Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
- If your boxed cake mix contains pudding, still add the chocolate pudding mix to the batter.
- Follow the directions as written here - do not worry about the directions on the back of the boxed mixes.

- The piping tip used for this recipe is the Star Tip from TomKat Studio.

Source: My Baking Addiction - frosting from Martha Stewart