Chocolate Velvet Cupcakes with Browned Butter-Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes: 3 dozen

Hands-on Time:  20 minutes

Total Time:  2 hrs, 40 mins including frosting

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate morsels

½ cup butter, soffened

1 (16 oz.) package light brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 (8 oz.) container sour cream

1 cup hot water

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Microwave morsels in a mixrowave-safe bown at high 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30 second intervals.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended (about 5 minutes).  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Add melted chocolate; beat until blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Gradually add hot water in a slow stready stream, beating at low speed just until blended.  Stir in vanilla.

Place 36 paper baking cups in 3 (12 cup) muffin pans; spoon batter into cups, filling ¾ full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 45 minutes).

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.  Garnish, if desired.

Browned Butter-Cinnamon-Cream Chees Frosting

Makes: 5 cups

Hands on Time: 15 mins.

Total Time: 1 hr, 15 mins.

Cook ½ cup butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until butter begins to turn golden brown.  Immediately remove from heat.  Pour butter into a bowl.  Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify.

Beat butter and 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened, at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 2 (16 oz.) packages powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Stir in 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and 2 tsp. vanilla extract.

Pipe on frosting and garnish with chocolate curls and white candy sprinkles.

Note:  I made these for my girlfriends at Christmas and they were a hit.  Very sweet and yummy!  You have a lot of frosting so just pipe it all on in a pretty swirl.