Description
These Hot Cocoa Cupcake Mugs are a delightful twist on traditional cupcakes, combining rich devil’s food cake and creamy milk chocolate frosting, topped with festive mini candy canes, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Perfect for holiday parties or cozy gatherings, they look like little mugs of hot cocoa, making them both charming and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 package (15.25 oz) Duncan Hines® Classic Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- 2 envelopes (1.38 oz each) Swiss Miss® Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
- 1 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
Frosting and Decoration
- 1 container (16 oz) Duncan Hines® Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting
- 24 mini candy canes
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Muffin Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin pan with 24 baking cups to prevent sticking and ensure easy cupcake removal.
- Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, combine the Devil’s Food Cake Mix, Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil. Use an electric mixer on low speed to combine ingredients for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until smooth and well blended.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the 24 muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate the Cupcakes: Once cooled, frost each cupcake generously with milk chocolate frosting. Break 1/4 to 1/2 inch off each mini candy cane and insert the curved end into the side of each cupcake to create a ‘mug handle.’ Top each cupcake with milk chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows. Optionally, crush some candy cane pieces and sprinkle over the cupcakes for extra festive flair.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Mini candy canes can be substituted with small cookie sticks for variation.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free cake mix and verify that all other ingredients are gluten-free.
