Dessert - Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes

I have a small (okay, so it's huge really) obsession with cupcakes and cupcake cookbooks. I decided to make two kinds of cupcakes yesterday, mainly because I have been a baking slacker lately, and a bit because I had an occasion to bake for.

The first type of cupcakes I wrote about on the blogcritics website (which you can find here), and the other (better in my opinion!) type of cupcakes were these little gems, the Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes.

I've been really wanting to make these cupcakes for a long time, so I finally broke down and bought a container of malted milk powder. Let me tell you, it's totally worth it!! I got the plain kind, as it is also used in this Chick-Fil-A knockoff recipe from Food Network (hope to be making this soon as well). Just think of the possibilities, especially now that it's summer!!! Malted milk ball pie, chocolate fudge malts, Rumchata malts, I could go on and on!!

This particular recipe comes to us from a delicious cookbook I have had for several years. Every recipe I've made from it is delicious, and it is actually the home of my fave red velvet cupcake recipe. This lovely book is called "Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor". The book offers over 100 recipes, plus party ideas, many varieties of frosting recipes, and several inspiring photographs.

I will have to say that this is one recipe I will be making again! Very tasty and the frosting is perfect for the cake!

Malted Milk Ball Cupcakes with Malted Milk Buttercream

Ingredients:
-1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix (I used Supermoist)
-1 box (3.8 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
-1 cup sour cream
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup water
-1/4 cup sugar
-4 large eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup milk chocolate chips (I subbed about 1/4 cup chocolate chips and maybe 1/2 cup crushed malted milk balls for this, since I was running low on chocolate chips)
-Extra malted milk balls for garnish (about 40)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare 24 muffin tins by lining with paper liners.
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend until well mixed.
Add the chocolate chips (or/and crushed malted milk balls) and combine with ingredients in the bowl.
Fill each prepared muffin tin 3/4 of the way full with batter. If there are empty cups left over, pull the liners out before baking.
Bake 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool muffin tins on stovetop or wire racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool at least 15 minutes on wire rack.

Frost with:
Malted Milk Buttercream

Ingredients:
-8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
-3-1/2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
-5 tablespoons malted milk powder
-1/4 cup milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*I wanted a more of a chocolate flavor for this frosting, so I added about 1 tablespoon hot cocoa powder to it. Feel free to use regular baking cocoa.

Whip butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and blend on low speed until mixed well. Bring speed up to medium and beat until light and fluffy.
Use a knife or pipe on the frosting as desired.
Garnish with crushed malted milk balls.