Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

I found a dairy-free cake mix on sale at the supermarket a few weeks ago. While I prefer baking from scratch, I was excited to see my local chain store carrying more "alternative" foods and the price was right, so I bought the mix. The things we do in the name of research!

It was a Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake Mix that is peanut free, dairy-free, egg free, and nut free.

I also had leftover candy canes from the holidays, and chocolate and peppermint go well together. (Really, what doesn't go well with chocolate?!?)Hummm, add a marshmallow frosting... voila, my idea for hot chocolate cupcakes was born!

I made the Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake Mix according to the box, but baked them as cupcakes. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were mini chocolate pieces in the chocolate cake.

As they were cooling I attempted making a couple different marshmallow frosting recipes, but most of them were too hard once they cooled. I really wanted a bright white frosting to set off the candy canes. Then I remembered a recipe for a meringue frosting, which I found on the Dog Hill Kitchen blog, that would work with minor changes.

Meringue or Seven-Minute Frosting
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Bring the water in a double boiler to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and then set on top of the simmering water. Using a handheld mixer, beat the mixture on high until frosting is thick, creamy white and fluffy. (Approx. 5 - 7 minutes) Remove from heat and beat until mostly cool. The frosting turns bright white and is the consistency of melted marshmallows (or that marshmallow fluff that you can buy in a jar).

Once the cupcakes are cool, spread warm frosting on top. Be warned, though, that this frosting makes a sweet, sticky mess. Then sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.

Tapioca Pudding with Coconut Milk

During one of these cold days of January, I've was craving a warm pudding. So I tinkered with the tapioca recipe on the box to see if I could make a dairy-free version. My partner likes it so much he asked me to make it again!

1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs Minute Tapioca
1 can coconut milk (approximately 1 3/4 cups, adjust the coconut and almond milk to equal 2 3/4 cups total)
1 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
1 egg beaten
1 tsp Mexican vanilla
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Combine the brown sugar, tapioca, milks, and egg in a sauce pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Then heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. The box notes: a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

The pudding thickened as it cooled, so I added a little extra almond milk and rewarmed the left overs. Yum!