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Surprise Red Cupcakes

Source of Recipe

.
Surprise Red Cupcakes

Country Woman January/February 2007
Reviews rate this recipe 3.5 of 5 stars.
Prep: 1 hour Bake: 20 min. + cooling
Yield: 2 dozen.

Catch your honey red-handed this Valentine's Day with a batch of these confections. Our family loves these filled cupcakes. They disappear in a day. —Betty B. Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania

Ingredients:
• 2 cups sugar, 'divided'
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 cups all-purpose flour, 'divided'
• 1/2 cup milk
•
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup shortening, 'divided'
• 2 eggs
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 'divided'
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
•
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
•
• FROSTING:
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup plus 1 to 3 teaspoons evaporated milk, divided
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool.

2. In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup shortening and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the food coloring, vinegar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Combine the cocoa, baking soda and remaining flour; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

3. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick insert near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

4. In a small bowl, beat butter and remaining shortening until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, cooled sugar mixture and remaining vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Insert a large round tip into a pastry or plastic bag; fill with filling. Insert the tip halfway into the center of each cupcake and fill with a small amount of filling.

5. For frosting, in a heavy saucepan, melt chips with 1/3 cup evaporated milk over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough remaining milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.

1 serving (1 each) equals 288 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 114 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.