Shelly's Recipe

CINNAMON CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH DULCHE DE LECHE AND CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Category: Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix with pudding
1 tsp of cinnamon
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, try to break up any big clumps before adding it to the batter
1 cup mayonnaise, not salad dressing
3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk, room temperature
1 tsp of almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan and set aside.

Place the cake mix, cocoa, and cinnamon mix together with a whisk to combine the ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, eggs, milk, and almond extract and mix on low speed for one minute. Scrape down the bowl and increase the speed to medium and mix for two minutes.

Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half way and bake in the center of the oven for 16-18 minutes and the center springs back when lightly pressed. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely.

Dulce de Leche
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
Pinch of salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425.

Pour condensed milk into pie plate and stir in a generous pinch of salt. Cover pie plate with foil and crimp foil tightly around rim. Put in a roasting pan, and then add enough boiling-hot water to reach halfway up side of pie plate, making sure that foil is above water. Bake, refilling pan to halfway with water about every 40 minutes, until milk is thick and a deep golden caramel color, about 2 hours. Remove pie plate from water bath and transfer toffee to a bowl, then chill toffee, uncovered, until it is cold, about 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Buttercream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
Pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pound + 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2-3 tbsp very cold milk

Cream the butter, shortening, and salt until light yellow and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and the bean paste and mix for another minute. Be sure to stop and scrape the bowl about half way through.

Add the sugar a cup at a time on the low speed. Once thick, add the milk one tbsp at a time. Keep adding until the frosting is thick, but more creamy and less dry looking.