Rudolph Cupcakes

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 5 -6 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 dash salt
• 24 pretzel twists, broken in half (for antlers)
• m&m' (you'll need the reds for the noses)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 (2 1/2 inch) muffin pan cups with liners.
• 2 prepare cake mix according to package directions, and spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• 3 bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpicks inserted in centers come out clean.
• 4 cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool on racks completely.
• 5 beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.
• 6 gradually add powdered sugar, and 4 tablespoons strong brewed coffee and beat until smooth.
• 7 add melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt; beat until well blended.
• 8 add remaining coffee 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is of desired spreading consistency.
• 9 frost cooled cupcakes with frosting.
• 10 stick 2 broken pretzel pieces in cupcake standing up, for antlers.
• 11 give all the rudolphs a red m&m nose and 2 m&m's that are the same color, for eyes. (could also use skittles for this if you like).