Honey I’m Home Chocolate Cupcakes

A Valentines's Day treat topped with sweet pink honey frosting.

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 Is One of the Oldest Foods

Honey is one of the oldest foods in existence. It was found in the tomb of King Tut and was still edible since honey never spoils.

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