Shelly's Recipe

MILK CHOCOLATE KISSED CUPCAKES

Category: Cupcakes

5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
5 oz. (10 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-1/3 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher or fine-grained sea salt
2/3 cup buttermilk

Icing:
1 lb. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped

Garnish:
24 Chocolate Kisses

Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two12-cavity cupcake pans with paper liners.

Melt the chocolate.

Use a mixer to beat the butter until fluffy, about a minute. Add the sugar and brown sugar and cream together thoroughly.

One at a time, add the eggs, stopping to scrape down the bowl after each. The mixture will look curdled.

Add the vanilla and the melted chocolate and blend well.

Sift together the cake flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add the salt and toss to blend well. In three stages add this mixture alternating with the buttermilk, blending thoroughly after each addition.

Divide the mixture evenly among the cavities in the cupcake pans, filling each about three-quarters full.

Bake the cupcakes for 12 minutes. Switch the pans and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out dry. Remove the pans from the oven and cool completely on racks. Gently lift the cupcakes from the pans.
Use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and blend together thoroughly. Melt the chocolate and add to the mixture. Blend thoroughly.

Use a small spatula to ice the top of each cupcake. Place an unwrapped kiss in the center of each cupcake.

Store the cupcakes loosely covered with waxed paper then tightly wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature. Store the un-iced cupcakes at room temperature covered with foil up to 2 days before icing.