Snowman Chocolate Cupcakes

When I was in my tween, I always fantasized living in the snowy mountain hills, having great fun making snowman ... throwing snowballs with family and friends.  Thus one of my favourite Christmas songs was Frosty The Snowman. I hummed along whenever I heard the song played at the shopping malls.
"Frosty the snowman, was a jolly happy soul. 
With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal....

Thumpety thump, thump, thumpety thump, thump, look at Frosty go."

During the festive season like Christmas, I'm sure kids love sweet treats like cupcakes, cakes, chocolates,  candies etc.
I'm always intimidated making cupcakes as I'm no good in frosting.
Here, I've baked a few easy Snowman Chocolate Cupcakes over the weekend. Hee .. hee! Any imperfection in frosting can be covered up nicely.



Don't they look cutie and yummy for the invited guests (perhaps kids) to indulge when you throw a Christmas Hi-Tea ? Of course,  they can served as snack or dessert alongside with the main course.

Recipe adapted from : Joy of Baking
I halved the recipe quantity to make 7 cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
25 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
120ml boiling hot water
90 grams all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
56 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 7 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

Cream Cheese Frosting:  here
(I freezed half of the cream cheese in airtight container for other bakes)
120 grams confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
25 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
55 grams cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon milk or cream, if needed

Method:
In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.

Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and well blended. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy and of spreading consistency (about 3 minutes). Add a little milk or cream if frosting is too thick.

Garnish:
Spread the frosting on the cupcakes.
120ml dessicated coconut (sprinkle on frosting)
Some mini chocolate chips, chocolates, waffles/Oreo and jellybean to decorate as snowman.
Cut some snowflake templates and dust some snow powder on plain chocolate cupcakes if you like.

Opps ! Why my snowflake design turned
out like a tiger head? Haiz !

Have fun & happy baking !

Christmas On A Great Street ! Here in Singapore,  it's the yearly grand light up event ... glittering lights dripping from decorated trees, buildings and majestic arches that stretched a few km along Orchard Road ... brightly decorated shopping malls, hotels ... Gosh ! I need to wear a pair of sunglasses ^-^ lol !

Here's some pictures snapped while having a stroll after dinner two weeks ago at Orchard Road.

 

Lovely window display with cupcakes,  breads and
doughnuts ... yummy

Help yourself for some sweet cakes ... LOL

Artificial sweet snacks ... they looked so yummy-licious! 

Have a great week ahead ^-^!

I'm submitting this post to Cook and Celebrate (Christmas 2014), organized by Yen from Eat your heart out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

And

I'm joining Best Recipes for Everyone December 2014 Event Theme: My Little Cupcakes by Fion of Xuan Hom's Mom