Divine Wine Cupcakes

I am thinking that this would be a great wordless Wednesday post but I want to share the recipe with you because these cupcakes are seriously delicious AND easy to make.

Remember the Friends episode when Rachel makes the trifle and accidentally mixes two recipes together and adds a layer of beef sauteed with peas and onions (I think) and Joey says..."Jam, good. Custard, good. Beef, good."

I promise that there's no beef sauteed with peas and onions in these cupcakes but there is an unusual ingredient...

Zinfandel wine! It's in both the cupcake AND the frosting...thus the blog post title "Divine Wine Cupcakes!"

Here's the recipe for all of you chocolate AND wine lovers!

Zinfandel Cupcakes

Batter
1 box devil's food cake mix (super moist recommended)
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. Zinfandel wine
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box using cake mix, water, wine, oil and eggs. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 1/2 full).

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Frosting
6 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. Zinfandel wine

In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cocoa and salt with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in wine. If frosting is too think, beat in more wine a few drops at a time. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate curls (if desired).

I veered from the recipe in a couple of cases.

I didn't have mini chocolate chips so I used regular chips...however I failed to coat them prior to mixing them into the batter and the chips fell to the bottom of the cupcakes while baking. So I suggest taking a couple of tablespoons of your dry cake mix and tossing it with your chips. This should keep them from dropping to the bottom of your cupcakes!

Second, I just realized as I am typing the recipe that I forgot to add the salt to my frosting...I think it turned out OK.

And...I sifted my powdered sugar and cocoa before mixing them with the butter. I also started with four cups of powdered sugar and a quarter cup of wine and added more of each until I got the consistency and the taste I thought worked best.

I definitely recommend these cupcakes...they'd be great for a girls night in or a bridal shower or a Tuesday night.