German Chocolate Cupcakes…..

Four (possibly 2) bites of deliciousness!  Personally I don’t think that the traditional German chocolate cake portion of this dessert is chocolaty enough so I’ve improvised a bit.  If you know me you know that my favorite chocolate cake recipe in the whole wide world is the Hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Cake recipe on the back of the cocoa box.  It’s a simple one bowl recipe and makes about 30 cupcakes.  Baking tip for the cocoa cake.  Be sure to put the cocoa through a sifter with the rest of the dry ingredients.  Often there are clumps of cocoa and you don’t want them in your cake.

I made the traditional coconut/pecan frosting which is spectacular and thought I’d pipe my own touch onto the top.  Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.  Can more chocolate ever be wrong?  I think not.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

1 batch Hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes, cooled completely

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 beaten egg yolks (Freeze the egg whites and add to your next meatloaf)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped & toasted pecans (to toast, spread chopped pecans over a cookie sheet and toast in 325′ oven for 7-9 minutes.  Cool completely)

Whisk the first four ingredients together in a heavy medium size saucepan until well blended.  Add the butter and vanilla and stir over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until it thickens.  Do not over cook. It doesn’t need to boil or bubble.  Add the coconut and toasted pecans.  Allow to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted with the cocoa
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 teaspoons of milk

Beat the cream cheese and butter until well blended with an electric mixer.  Add the powdered sugar/cocoa and vanilla.  Mix on low-speed until most of the dry ingredient is incorporated.  Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you get a nice thick frosting that you can pipe onto the cupcake.

Frost the cupcakes with the pecan frosting.  Pipe the top with the chocolate frosting.  Refrigerate.  Remove from refrigeration for 20 minutes before serving,

Enjoy!

Angie