Chocolate Cupcakes with Penuche Filling

Myrna will tell you I don’t bake many cakes.  If I do, it’s most likely to be a dense cake like applesauce, carrot cake or fruit-filled cakes.  I had to go out to buy a cake mix, I don’t keep them on hand; I can’t think of when I bought one last. That said, if you’re going to bake one, might as well go over the top.  

I recently purchased a Beater Blade Pro attachment for my Kitchenaid and this is when I appreciate it.  It’s tailor-made for cakes.   I also appreciate my half sheet pan with a rack that fits in it – perfect for frosting and sprinkling on chocolate, etc.  The pan catches all the mess.  We thought the frosting with this recipe is just like candy – a little goes a long way.  It was, however, perfect for trying out my new decorating set – as you can see, I’m not expert there like Myrna is, as I don’t get enough practice.  

                 Chocolate Cupcakes With Penuche Filling

  1                Box  Cake Mix -- chocolate fudge

  1 1/3           Cups  Water

     1/2           Cup  Salad Oil

  3              Large  Eggs

  1           Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract

                        Filling

  1                Cup  Butter

  2               Cups  Brown Sugar -- packed

     1/2           Cup  Whole Milk

  4               Cups  Powdered Sugar

  1              Ounce  Semisweet Chocolate -- grated, optional

• Heat oven to 325° for dark pans, 350° for shiny pans.  Spray bottom only of 24 regular size muffin cups with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 18-24 minutes.  Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat to low.  Boil and stir 2 minutes.  Stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, remove from heat.  Pour mixture into medium bowl, refrigerate about 30 minutes or until lukewarm.
• Beat powdered sugar into cooled brown sugar mixture on low speed until smooth.  If frosting becomes too stiff, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Using a serrated knife cut each cupcake in half horizontally, being careful not to break either half.  Place a heaping 1 tablespoon filling on each cupcake base.  Replace top.  Pipe or spoon rounded 1 tablespoon frosting onto cupcake top.  Garnish with grated chocolate.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature.

"Penuche" comes from a Mexican word meaning raw sugar or brown sugar.

24 servings

2011 Cost:  $4.54 or 19¢ per serving

  "Betty Crocker Super Moist Cakes "