Mini Panda Cupcakes
Description
These chocolate mini cupcakes are decorated as little panda bears, perfect for kid's birthday parties, pot lucks, or animal themed parties..
Ingredients
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9 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
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5 tablespoons boiling water, or as needed
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3/4 cup unsalted butter
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3/4 cup white sugar
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2 tablespoons white sugar
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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3 eggs
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1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
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1/4 cup unsalted butter
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
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1/4 cup white sugar
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180 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
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2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles
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1 ounce fondant, ready-to-use, white
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease one 24-cup mini muffin tin and one 12-cup mini muffin tin or line cups with paper liners.
2
Sift cocoa powder into a large bowl and add 5 tablespoons boiling water. Stir into a thick paste, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Add 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until batter is smooth.
3
Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir into the batter until well combined. Spoon batter into the prepared mini muffin cups using an ice cream scoop, filling each 2/3 to the top.
4
Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool in muffin tin for a few minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5
Combine cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in vanilla extract. Stir in confectioners' sugar gradually.
6
Frost each cupcake with a layer of white frosting. Pour white sparkling sugar into a small bowl and dunk each frosted cupcake into the sugar, so the frosting is evenly covered.
7
Place 2 chocolate chips into the middle of each cupcake for the eyes with the pointy side facing the cupcake. Place 1 chocolate chip with the pointy side pointing down for the nose, like an upside-down triangle. Make a mouth with 3 chocolate sprinkles in the shape of an anchor. Place 2 chocolate chips on top of the cupcakes for the ears.
8
Roll fondant into tiny balls for the eyes, smaller than the mini chocolate chips, and stick 1 half piece of chocolate sprinkle into each ball for the pupils. Glue eyes onto the 2 eye chocolate chips with some frosting.