Milk Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box milk chocolate cake mix
• 3 eggs
• ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1¼ cups chocolate milk
• 1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Small silver dragées, for decorating

TO MAKE CUPCAKES:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup cupcake tins with silver-foil paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cake mix, oil, and chocolate milk. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping until batter is well incorporated.
3. In a microwave, melt ½ cup of the chocolate chips, stopping to stir at 10-second intervals. Add 1 cup of batter to the melted chocolate and stir well to combine. Place into a resealable plastic bag and snip off one of the bottom corners.
4. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 small scoop of cake batter, to about a quarter of the way up the cupcake paper. Pipe 1 tablespoon batter with melted chocolate from the plastic bag into each batter-filled cup. Top each with another scoop of the remaining cake batter.
5. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool 1 minute before removing and cooling completely.

TO MAKE DARK CHOCOLATE ICING:

1. Heat cream in a saucepan over low heat to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate chips until completely combined. While still slightly warm, dip the tops of cupcakes in the chocolate icing. Sprinkle with dragées, and allow icing to set.

• Yields: 24 cupcakes
• Preparation Time: 12 minutes

Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Easy Entertaining at Home, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2011 SLSH Enterprises, Inc. www.sandralee.com