What is the surprise, you ask? There is a hidden bit of chocolate toffee bar baked inside each cupcake. Oh, and the deliciously rich cake is topped with a glaze instead traditional frosting. Go on, be a little different next time you bake up a batch of cupcakes. Tell everyone Tutti dolci said you should.
Chocolate-Toffee Surprise Cupcakes
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp instant espresso (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 (3.5 oz) Green & Black’s Organic Toffee Chocolate Bar (or your favorite toffee chocolate bar)
Glaze
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp low-fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp toffee bits
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together boiling water, cocoa, and espresso, then cool completely. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add egg and beat well. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat just until combined. Add yogurt and cooled cocoa mixture; finish with remaining flour mixture.
Fill each baking cup 2/3 full of batter. Use a sharp knife to cut toffee chocolate bar into 16 pieces; place a square into each cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes for 2 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before carefully removing from the pan to cool completely.
For the glaze, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Pour browned butter into a small bowl and cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Dip tops of cupcakes in glaze, sprinkle each cupcake with 1/2 teaspoon toffee bits, and let set before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days.