Description
Dark chocolate cupcakes with warm ancho chile and cayenne spice topped with creamy chili cream cheese frosting and a dried chile garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (18.25 ounce) box devil’s food chocolate cake mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 small dried red chiles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners
- Whisk cake mix with 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add water, vegetable oil, and eggs then beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes
- Fill muffin cups two thirds full with batter
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
- Cool cupcakes completely before frosting
- Sift confectioners sugar with 1 teaspoon ancho chile pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and cinnamon
- Beat cream cheese and butter into the sugar mixture until smooth
- Mix in vanilla extract to finish frosting
- Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish each with a dried red chile
Notes
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the spice level
- Chop a dried chile into the frosting for stronger heat if desired
- Always frost cupcakes only after they cool completely
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 274
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg