To ring in Spring this year I decided to make cupcakes. Well there was a dual purpose to them.
It was St. Joseph’s Day on Tuesday. This is the day Italy celebrates Father’s Day. Last year I didn’t even realize it was their Father’s Day till my husband had to explain it to me. So I have had it on the calendar since last year. Well I forgot. Not really forgot I didn’t check my pocket calendar where I had it written down.
So again my husband had to tell me. Luckily I had enough time in the day to run home and plan something. I had them planned in my head for sometime I just had to put the plan in action. Most of us enjoyed these cupcakes. I found some flavored malt balls and added them both to the cupcakes and icing. Next time I think I would add triple the amount of chocolate malt balls to the cake batter than I did.
One thing about my cupcake batter. I added extra virgin olive oil. I know you are saying “Come again?” Well when I lived in Italy I only made all my baked goods with olive oil. “Why?” do you ask. Well because I did. No seriously I started trying it and loved the moisture it gave to some of my baked goods. Not all but some. I have found that when using boxed cake mix it helps with moisture.
On the cake mix I used it does not even specify which oil to use. It just says 1/2 cup oil. So you should give it a try and see what you think! And no it does not taste like olive oil, though I have a soft spot for the flavor of olive oil!
Let’s talk icing! The icing was just right! I added strawberry flavored malt balls to the icing. The longer it sat the better the flavor melded with the cream cheese icing. There was a little crunch in the icing which I liked but not ever one did, that would be my husband. No worries though he helped figure out what to do the next time if I wanted to make this or something similar for him. Just pulse the malt balls in my processor a little longer. Either way they were great! These would also be great for Easter as well!
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STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE MALT CUPCAKES
YIELDS: 22 cupcakes
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 18-22 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 box of devils food cake mix
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (yes I really do mean olive oil!)
1 1/4 cups water
3 large eggs
10 chocolate flavored malt balls, crushed
FOR THE ICING:
5 oz cream cheese, semi cold
2 cups powered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
4 tablespoon butter, semi cold
10 strawberry flavored malt balls, crushed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° . Prepare muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners.
2. In mixer combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs. Mix till all is incorporated and batter is lump free and smooth.
3. Stir in crushed chocolate flavored malt balls. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until tooth pick is inserted and comes out clean. (Mine were done right at 18 minutes.)
4. Remove from tin and cool.
5. In the meantime, using mixer combine cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar till smooth.
6. Add enough milk to get the consistency of the icing to how you like. If you are piping the icing needs to be thick. If you are frosting the cupcake it can be thinner but it should still hold its shape.
7. Stir in the strawberry flavored malt balls.
8. Pipe on to your cupcake or frost them with a spatula. Eat and ENJOY!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
These are so pretty. Everything is better with a malt ball 🙂
thebittersideofsweet
Thanks Aimee! I totally agree!
Sally
adding strawberry malts to the frosting = genius! These are such gorgeous cupcakes! I love malt balls 🙂
thebittersideofsweet
Thanks Sally! It really changed the flavor to the icing in a whole new way!