RO*TEL Across America Recipe Contest - Mini Chili Chocolate Cupcakes with Margarita Butte

Mini Chili Chocolate Cupcakes with Margarita Butte

by Merry from CA

A spicy lil' chocolate cupcake with the creamiest Margartia Buttercream Frosting - Oh MY!

AVERAGE RATING

Category

Appetizer/Snack

Prep Time

45 minutes total time

Servings

7 dozen mini cupcakes

Recipe Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1 can (10 oz) RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Frosting:
1 cup softened unsalted butter
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarita mix
15 drops neon green food coloring

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line mini muffin cups with paper liners. If needed, line and bake mini muffins in batches. If you are baking in a 24-count mini muffin pan, this recipe will take 3 ½ batches.

Puree tomatoes & green chilies in a blender or an immersion blender for 30 seconds; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat all ingredients except frosting with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape batter from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn mixer on high speed and slowly add tomato puree; beat for 2 minutes. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon into each lined mini cup. If baking in batches, refrigerate batter between batches. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan for 5 minutes, remove from pan, completely cool before frosting.

To make frosting, in a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape ingredients from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add food coloring. Increase mixer speed to high speed and gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar alternating with margarita mix. Beat for 1 minute. Fill a pastry bag with a star tip or desired tip, or a 1-gallon plastic bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.