Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Vanilla frosting “marshmallows” are piped onto devil’s food cupcakes to mimic the look of a favorite hot drink. Don’t forget the pretzel “cup handles!”

Prep: 20 min / Total: 1 hr 25 min / Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups devil’s food cake mix with pudding (from 18.25-oz box)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whipped vanilla frosting (from 12-oz container)
• 1/2 cup marshmallow creme
• 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa
• 6 miniature pretzel twists, broken in half

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F for shiny metal pan (or 325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In small bowl, mix frosting and marshmallow creme. Spoon into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut 3/8-inch tip off 1 corner of bag. (Or spoon mixture onto cupcakes instead of piping.)
5. Pipe 3 small dollops of frosting mixture on top of each cupcake to resemble melted marshmallows. Sprinkle with cocoa. Press pretzel half into side of each cupcake for cup handle.

If you like peppermint, frost these fun cupcakes with the frosting mixture, and sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes.

Nutritional Information:

1 Serving (1 Cupcake)

• Calories 240
  • (Calories from Fat 80),

• Total Fat 9g
  • (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g,
  • Trans Fat 1 1/2g),
• Cholesterol 20mg;
• Sodium 300mg;
• Total Carbohydrate 37g
  • (Dietary Fiber 0g,
  • Sugars 22g),
• Protein 2g;

Cappuccino Bars

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients:

For Bars: 

• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup hot strong black coffee
• 10 ounces graham crackers
• 1/2 cup mini-marshmallows
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup butter

For Topping:

• 8 ounces low fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/8 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup splenda granular or confectioners’ sugar
• Cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:

1. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square pan. Soak the raisins in the hot coffee for 5 minutes. Break the graham crackers into small pieces and place in a bowl with the marshmallows. Add in the coffee and soaked raisins.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a bowl set over hot water. Add to the graham cracker mixture and stir until well coated. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and chill in the fridge until firm.
3. To make the topping, cream the butter, splenda, and cream cheese in a bowl until well mixed. Stir on the vanilla extract. Spread over graham cracker base. Lightly dust top with cocoa powder and store covered in the fridge.