Page 122 - Cupcakes

GLAZE:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24
cupcake cups with paper liners. Place a gingersnap cookie in each liner. Set the
pans aside.

2. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, water, oil, bourbon, eggs, and
vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30

seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber
spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping
down the sides again if needed. Measure out 3½ cups of the batter and set it
aside.

3. Place the cocoa powder and cream cheese in a mediumsize mixing bowl and
blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the cocoa is just incorporated

into the cream cheese, 15 seconds. Add the batter remaining in the first mixing
bowl to the cream cheese mixture and blend on low speed until just combined,
30 seconds. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of chocolate batter on top of the
gingersnap. Shake the pans back and forth to distribute the batter. Spoon 1
heaping tablespoon of plain batter on top of the chocolate batter. The cups will
be two thirds full. Do not shake the pans again, and place them in the oven.

the CupcakeDoctor says...

You can omit the bourbon in both the batter and glaze and you will still have
delicious layered cupcakes with a serious chocolate glaze on top, plus the
added bite of the gingersnap cookie.

4. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed
with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place
them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of