Red Velvet Cupcakes W/ White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese F

Impera_Magna's Note:

Published in the Raleigh (NC) N&O newspaper for Valentine's Day, this recipe sounded so good that I'm going to take these to work to share. Recipe is credited to Anne Byrn's "The Cake Mix Doctor"

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 24

Cake

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package plain German chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting

• 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 -2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, divided
• 6 peppermint candies, crushed (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a lg mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs. Blend with electric mixer on LOW for 30 seconds; scrape sides with rubber scraper. Increase mixer speed to MEDIUM and beat for 2 minutes, scraping sides if necessary. Batter should look thick and well-combined.
3. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon or scoop 1/3 c batter into each prepared cupcake cup, filling each 3/4rds full.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes until they spring back when lightly touched w/ your finger.
6. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5 minutes on wire rack.
7. Run knife around each cupcake and gently lift from the pan using the knife, grasping gently w/ fingertips. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before frosting.
8. FROSTING:.
9. Place white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on HIGH power for one minute. Remove and stir with wooden spoon or rubber scraper until smooth. Set aside to cool.
10. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and butter; beating with electric mixer on LOW speed for about 30 seconds til well-combined.
11. Add cooled white chocolate and blend on LOW speed for appx 30 seconds until well-combined.
12. Add peppermint extract and 2 cups confectioners sugar; blend on LOW speed until well-combined, appx 30 seconds; increase mixer speed to MEDIUM and beat til the frosting is fluffy, appx 1 minute, adding upto 1/2 c additional confectioners sugar if necessary to make it a spreadable consistency.
13. ICE cupcakes by placing a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake, swirling to spread with a short metal spatula, covering the tops of each cupcake.
14. Place in frig for appx 20 minutes until the frosting sets.
15. OPTIONAL: Before chilling, sprinkle tops of frosted cupcakes w/ crusted pepperment candies.

Reviews

[Chef #371055]

I made this for my colleagues at work as a Christmas gift. They were a huge hit. The icing absolutely makes this cupcake even more heavenly! I'll be making these again. I couldn't find German cake mix so I used devil's food cake mix instead and it worked out fine.

[andypandy]

Made these today for school lunches. The cake is very delicate and light with moistness to hold all together well. I used bittersweet chocolate instead of white chocolate in the frosting and it worked out fine. I will be making these again and will make with the white chocolate. Also next time maybe into layer pans for a cake. Like I said these are good but delicate to hold. Update these are so good and light that I also think the chipits in them could be left out as they seem to interfer with the nice cake texture and the richness of the frosting.

[Chef #1467765]

These cupcakes were amazing. My kids couldn't get enough. I used a cream cheese frosting. Will definitely make again.