Mexican Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Let's continue on with the cupcake recipes from the Cupcake Tasting, shall we?  Today I bring you the most interesting of cupcakes served that night.  Hidden Dulce de Leche?  Chile Kissed Cream?  Yes and yes.  This was such a fun one to try and people were DYING over it.  Lots of oohing and ahhing.  Printable recipe card at the end, as usual.

Mexican Hot Cocoa with Hidden Dulce De Leche and Chile Kissed Cream

¾ c sugar

¾ c brown sugar

2 eggs

½ c oil

½ c milk

½ tsp powder

1/8 tsp soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

½ c dutch cocoa

1 ¼ c flour

1 cup dulce de leche 

(I made mine by boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours)

Combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil and milk.  Beat together until well combined.  Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla, stirring well until incorporated into the batter.  Slowly beat in the cocoa and flour just until mixed into the batter.  Bake 350 17-19 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to a rack to cool.  When cool, remove a bit of the middle of each cupcake.  Fill each cupcake with dulce de leche and top with Spicy Whipped Cream.  Sprinkle with chopped chocolate, and red chili flakes if desired.

Spicy Whipped Cream

1 ½ c heavy whipping cream

½ c brown sugar (very fresh and soft is best, to avoid sugar granules)

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp semi sweet chocolate chips, chopped

1 tsp red chili flakes

In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the brown sugar, mixing until the cream is thick enough to pipe on top of cupcakes.  Stir in the cayenne. 

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