Cinco de Chili Chocolate Cupcakes with Chili Cream Cheese Frosting

These dark chocolate chili cakes have the zing and deep, rich flavor of dried ancho chile and cayenne pepper. They are frosted with a chili-flavored cream cheese frosting, and each cupcake is decorated with a cute dried chili on top.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 274 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
• 24 small dried red chiles
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 cup butter, softened
• 0.33333334326744 cup vegetable oil
• 1.25 cups water
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.125 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box devil's food chocolate cake mix
• 1.5 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 0.5 teaspoon clear vanilla extract, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Whisk cake mix, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ancho chile, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Beat in water, vegetable oil, and eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed; beat for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove and cool completely before frosting.

Step 4

Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes in attractive swirls. Poke a small dried chile, stem-side up, into frosting as a garnish.

Step 5

Sift 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and cinnamon with confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; mix in vanilla extract.