Chocolate - Rum Christmas Cupcakes

I had an idea for Christmas to bake Chocolate – Mint Cupcakes using candy canes for decoration. Unfortunately the grocery store did not have mint extract so I chose something even better: rum extract! I looove rum! I would choose rum over any other liquor, merci beaucoup. I did not use real rum for practical reasons: 1) rum extract is much cheaper, 2) I won’t get tipsy from licking the batter and 3) I’m not sure if rum has salt in it, if so, the cupcakes might sink, and we don’t want that to happen, do we? Anyways the cupcakes turned out really great! I should have added a little bit more extract, because once the cupcakes were baked the cocoa-flavor overpowered the rum, nevertheless: really delicious cupcakes! Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Chocolate - Rum Cupcakes recipe: adapted from Nigella Lawson's Ghoul-Graveyard Cake

Ingredients:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick (½ cup) butter or margarine
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons rum extract

Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Put everything for the cake, except the buttermilk, into a food processor and blitz to mix. Remove the lid, scrape down with a rubber spatula and then put the lid back on and with the motor running, add the vinegary milk.
- (I don’t have a food processor so I mixed everything the old-fashioned way: (1) cream the butter and sugar, (2) add eggs one at a time, (3) then the rum extract, (4) combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl, (5) add half the flour mixture to butter/sugar/eggs mixture, (6) add the buttermilk, (7) add the rest of the flour mixture)
- Scrape, spoon or pour the brown batter into a cupcake tin, lined with papers, and bake for 20 – 22 minutes. Cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting recipe: for Red frosting.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 4 drops red food coloring

Instructions:
- Combine ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add more milk if needed.

White Frosting recipe: for White frosting.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons shortening (not butter-flavored)
- 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:
- Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl.
- Add shortening, milk and salt and mix until combined. Then, add the light corn syrup and vanilla, and mix until well blended.


Chocolate - rum batter in silver foil cupcake liners.

I used candy canes and peppermint for decoration.

Mon dieu! Chocolat - rhum cupcakes!

I get so excited for Christmas every time I lay my eyes on these cupcakes!