Makes 30 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• Chili chocolate (Lindt’s)

Buttercream

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3-4 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne (trust me on this or add gradually to your preferred heat level)
• Chili chocolate (Lindt’s) (optional)

Directions:

1. For the cupcakes, heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper baking liners.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 1/2 full with batter. Add a chocolate square in the center of each cupcake.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
4. For the buttercream, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar a 1/2 cup at a time until completely incorporated, adding up to 4 tablespoons of milk when the icing gets too thick. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne and beat until just combined.
5. Pipe buttercream on top. Top each cupcake with half a square of chili chocolate.