The Only Spicy Cupcake You'll Ever Need

Beloved chocolate and cinnamon combined with the strong component of heat from chipotles in one complex yet shockingly tasty cupcake. And did I mention the ice cream? Oh, yeah. There's ice cream involved,too.

The pepper acts as a warning-Caution:do not expect a sweet confection.

I first made this cupcake last April fora friends birthday. He LOVES spicy food, and devours whatever I bake for him, so of course I saw this recipe and had to make it for him. I wouldn't go near them,as I typically avoid most spicy foods at all costs, but him and our friends couldn't get enough of them. So, I decided to make them again for a birthday last week. I made a few changes to the recipe, and actually ate a few myself this time around. The recipe makes quite a few, and they involve some assembly before you eat them, so they would make a fun, interesting thing to bring to a party for those adventurous foodies out there.

  

Fire and Ice Cupcakes (makes 36)

Original recipe from Bakerella :)

 
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup boiling water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line cupcake trays with baking cups (36)
3. Boil water. Transfer 3/4 cup of boiling water to bowl. Stir in cocoa until dissolved to form chocolate mixture and set aside.
4. With a wire whisk, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and chipotle powder in a separate bowl and set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, butter and eggs until light and fluffy. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix well.
6. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in two additions, ending with flour mixture. Beat until combined with each addition.
7. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake trays,
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes and cool completely.

Chipotle Cream Cheese Frosting

 3 oz. chocolate with chili ( I used the Lindt dark chocolate with chili, found at Meijer or Target), plus another bar for the topping
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp. chipotle chili powder

2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups confectioner’s sugar

• Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 sec intervals., stirring in between until melted. Let cool.
• Sift sugar and add chili powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Cream butter and cream cheese and vanilla in a large mixing bowl on low until combined.
• Add sugar in small batches until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl in between.
• Set aside half of frosting and set aside for the Vanilla Chipotle Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Add melted chocolate to the other half and mix until combined for the Chocolate Chipotle Cream Cheese Frosting.

Assembly:

Frost half the cupcakes with the Vanilla Chipotle Cream Cheese Frosting and the other half with the Chocolate Chipotle Cream Cheese Frosting. CAREFULLY grate the other chocolate bar and sprinkle shavings on top. Slice cupcakes halfway and place a generous spoonful of any type of vanilla ice cream of your choice in between the halves (I used vanilla bean). Enjoy!