Mississippi Mud Cupcakes

There are times when I crave something rich, chocolately, and sweet.  Dark chocolate tends to be not quite as sweet as milk chocolate or vanilla.  These cupcakes from Spicy Southern Kitchen have it all – a dense, rich cake topped with gooey marshmallow frosting topped with chocolate frosting and toasted pecans.  Delicious!

Mississippi Mud Cupcakes

Makes approximately 15 cupcakes

• 1 cup butter
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Marshmallow Frosting (recipe follows)
• Mud Icing (recipe follows)
• ½ cup toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan and lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In a heavy-bottomed small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over very low heat, stirring nonstop to prevent burning of the chocolate. Let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar and eggs. Whisk together until smooth and light yellow, about 2 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
5. Slowly add chocolate mixture to egg mixture, stirring well. Mix in vanilla extract. Mix in flour mixture just until moistened.
6. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
7. Spread Marshmallow Frosting evenly over cupcakes. Top with Mud Icing and Pecans.

Marshmallow Frosting

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup marshmallow cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Beat all ingredients using an electric mixer until smooth.

Mud Icing

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine butter and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat until smooth.
2. Mix in milk and gradually beat in sugar and vanilla extract.