Construction Chocolate Cupcakes

**Grandma Weston’s Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Makes 18 cupcakes or 1 oblong cake pan cake

**Preheat oven 350*F. Then turn down to 325*F. when adding cupcakes.

Ingredients:

*1 and 1/2 cups Butter, slightly softened 

*1 and 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

*2 cups All-purpose Flour

*1 teaspoon Soda

*2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder

*1 cup milk

*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

*1 teaspoon Lemon Extract

*Pinch of Kosher Salt

Instructions:

In a stand mixer add the butter and brown sugar and cream together.  Then add the eggs, adding 1 egg at time until incorporated.

In a bowl sift the flour and baking soda and cocoa powder, set aside. 

In a 1 cup glass measuring cup, add the milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract and salt.

Add to the creamed mixture 1/2 of the flour mixture and 1/2 of the milk mixture mix until combined.  Repeat with remaining flour and milk, mix just until all ingredients are incorporated. 

In a muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake liners, Scoop batter into cups using a 2 tablespoon  cookie scoop/dishes or fill 2/3 full.

Bake in 325*F. oven for 18-22minutes. *See above

Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Fudge Frosting– Option One

*1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

*1 cup Sugar

*2 ounces Semi-Sweet Bakers Chocolate Squares, cut into small pieces

*1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

*1 teaspoon Lemon Extract 

*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

In a Saucepan on medium low heat add the cream, sugar, chocolate and cream of tartar. Heat until the edges start to bubble and turn to medium heat and bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes remove from heat, add lemon and vanilla extract, stir, and allow to cool.  Then add Saran Wrap right on top of fudge frosting mixture and refrigerate until set 30- 40 minutes. Then remove for fridge and beat with a hand mixer about 2 minutes or until slightly dull color.

Decorating:

Add frosting to pastry bag with a closed Star Tip, and pipe on frosting on cupcake.  Start with the edge of the cupcake and pipe in a circular motion making a cone shape.  

Add toppers of choice. We found these Construction toppers on Amazon

Chocolate Frosting Option 2: We used this option for these cupcakes.

Ingredients:

*24 ounces Milk Chocolate Chips, like Ghirardelli

*2 cups Malted Milk Powder

*2 cups Heavy Cream

*1 cup Butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces, almost room temperature

*2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

*Pinch of Sea Salt, literally

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan add cream and malted milk powder adding slowly and whisking for less clumping warm up cream mixture just before until bubbling around the edge of the pan.

Then add chocolate chips to a bowl and pour the hot cream mixture over chocolate chips and place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Then remove plastic wrap and stir until smooth and glossy. Cool Completely. Add vanilla, pinch of salt and couple of tablespoons of the butter to the chocolate mixture and beat together with hand mixer on low just until incorporated, continue adding 2 tablespoons at a time until all the butter has been added. Then beat on medium speed until thick and creamy. Note: If frosting seems to soft place bowl in an ice bath or fridge until frosting is cooled and then beat until thick and creamy.

Also See Construction Birthday Party

Enjoy!

Jessica and Lindy