Ingredients
Frosting:
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 drops red food coloring
Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Decorative Valentine’s Day candy
Honey Tips
Honey Bees Need Water
To keep their hives strong, beekeepers must place them in locations that will provide abundant nectar sources as well as water.
Directions
Frosting:
Cook flour and milk in a saucepan over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Let cool completely.
While mixture is cooling, in a separate bowl beat sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and red food coloring until light, pink, and fluffy. Gradually add cooled flour mixture and beat until frosting is a good spreading consistency.
Cupcakes:
Heat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and baking power; set aside. In a small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and cocoa mixture, about 1/2 at a time, beating just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Spread frosting evenly, top with Valentine’s Day candy.
Yields: 24 cupcakes
Cook flour and milk in a saucepan over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Let cool completely.
While mixture is cooling, in a separate bowl beat sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and red food coloring until light, pink, and fluffy. Gradually add cooled flour mixture and beat until frosting is a good spreading consistency.
Cupcakes:
Heat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and baking power; set aside. In a small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and cocoa mixture, about 1/2 at a time, beating just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Spread frosting evenly, top with Valentine’s Day candy.
Yields: 24 cupcakes
