Chocolate Cupcakes with Penuche Filling

 

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® chocolate fudge cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

cup butter or margarine

2

cups packed brown sugar

1/2

cup milk

4

cups powdered sugar

1

oz grated semisweet baking chocolate, if desired

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and cool cupcakes as directed on box for 24 cupcakes--except add vanilla to batter.
• 2 Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat to low. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Pour mixture into medium bowl; refrigerate 1 hour or until lukewarm, about 90°F.
• 3 Beat powdered sugar into cooled brown sugar mixture with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. If filling becomes too stiff, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. If filling is too soft, cover; return to refrigerator 15 minutes to firm up.
• 4 Remove paper baking cups from cupcakes. Using serrated knife, cut each cupcake in half horizontally, being careful not to break either half. Place heaping 1 tablespoon filling on each cupcake base. Replace rounded cupcake tops. Pipe or spoon rounded 1 tablespoon frosting onto cupcake tops. Garnish with grated chocolate. Store in airtight container at room temperature.