Dark Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and Macadamia Nuts

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 1 box Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box
• 1 small box SF/FF chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
• 2 tsp almond extract, divided
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1-16oz bag powdered sugar
• 1 c softened butter
• 1/2 c crushed macadamia nuts (I bought chopped nuts and ground them a little in the food processor to make smaller pieces)

Details

Adapted from thedomesticrebel.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin pans with paper liners. In large bowl, prepare cake mix according to package directions, stirring in dry pudding mix and 1 (one) teaspoon of almond extract until well blended. Portion into muffin cups and bake approximately 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist chocolate crumbs. Let cool completely.

2. In your stand mixer using your paddle attachment, whip butter for about 1 minute or until creamy. Stop mixer and add cocoa, then start mixer and blend for another minute, until incorporated. Then slowly add your powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until your frosting reaches your desired consistency (I didn’t use the whole bag, but almost. I also added 2 teaspoons milk to make it creamier since mine was a bit stiff–this tends to happen with chocolate icing, so use a splash of milk if it becomes stiff. I wanted mine to be spreadable, or piped on easily).

3. Spread or pipe on your chocolate buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with crushed macadamia nut pieces.