February is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. We honor those we love with gifts of flowers, chocolates, and heart-filled cards. This year, Valentine’s Day just happens to be my 41st wedding anniversary. When my husband and I were courting, he brought me flowers to work every week for a year. I was of course quite taken by such a show of affection. One arrangement was a dozen roses. Not every week was so spectacular, but he never failed in delivering a flower or flowers to me every week. One time he brought me a single orchid. Later after we were married, he told me he brought a bouquet by picking some flowers from a neighbor’s yard. We had a good laugh about that. It’s the thought that counts, right!

During the time he brought me flowers, we attended my employer’s Christmas party. My husband went to get a beverage and was quickly surrounded by other of my colleagues’ husbands who said, “You are killing us because our wives are putting pressure on us to do the same thing.” He told me he stood firm on his commitment and encouraged them to do the same.

Hearts are also something very special to me. Red is my favorite color as well. In fact, my dinnerware at home is red with white hearts. This month’s recipe pictured on one of my heart dishes is “Dark Chocolate Valentine Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Filling”. You can make the filling with your choice of whipped cream or a non-dairy substitute. You can even make the cake vegan which is an option in the recipe below.

These are amazingly good! And they keep in the refrigerator covered for several days . . . if they last. If you don’t have heart-shaped pans, you can buy them on Amazon, or use a standard cupcake mold. Just remember not to use paper liners. Please leave a review on our website if you make this recipe or for any of the products you have used. Your opinion is important to us. www.InspirationMixes.com

Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 24 mins
Cooling and also refrigerator time 3 hrs 20 mins
Total Time 4 hrs 24 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 Cupcakes
Equipment
• Four 6-cavity heart-shaped cupcake molds or two 12-cavity cupcake molds
• Mixing Bowls (2)
• Dry Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Hand Mixer or Whisk
• Paring Knife and Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Sauce Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
• 1 Mix Inspiration Bakery & Mixes Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 2/3 Cup Butter, Butter Substitute or oil (use ½ cup vegetable oil or coconut oil)
• 4 Large Eggs (Vegan use Flaxseed meal for 5 eggs. Follow directions)
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 Cups Water, or milk of choice.
Cupcake filling
• 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Fresh Raspberries You can also use strawberries, but they do not keep as well in the refrigerator.
o You can use frozen Raspberries, but be sure to exclude the juice.
o Vegan option is to use a readymade non-dairy substitute.
Dark Chocolate Drizzle Frosting
• 2/3 Cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder (Recipe from the back of the container)
• 1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Milk of Your Choice (I use coconut milk)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes
1. Follow directions on the pouch for mixing the chocolate cake batter. Coconut milk adds a good flavor to these chocolate cupcakes.
2. Grease the cupcake molds with oil (do not use paper liners). Evenly fill each heart-shaped cupcake cavity about ¾ full, until batter is used up. If there is excess batter, evenly distribute into molds or discard. You don’t want to overfill the cavities.
3. Bake as directed. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from pans and place them on a wire rack. Cool completely before completing the recipe.
4. After cupcakes have cooled, slice in half horizontally. Follow instructions for cupcake cream filling.
Cupcake Cream Filling
1. Cut the raspberries in half. This will make it easy to stir them into the whipped filling. You can use frozen berries, but the juice will turn the mixture pink, which is still great.
2. Place heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. Whip on high until cream begins to thicken.
3. Add powdered sugar and continue to beat until peaks form. Add vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated.
4. Gently fold in raspberries by hand.
5. Place the raspberry cream filling on the bottom half of each cupcake. Replace the top layer.
6. Prepare the Chocolate Drizzle Frosting immediately after this step.
Chocolate Drizzle Frosting
1. Follow instructions on the back of the Special Dark Hershey’s Cocoa container.
2. While the frosting is warm, spoon the warm mixture over the top of each cupcake.
3. Place frosted cupcakes uncovered in your refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Remove them from the refrigerator and cover with plastic wrap until served. They will keep refrigerated for several days.
If you have a wheat recipe that you would like to be converted to a gluten-free version, please email your request to info@inspirationmixes.com and put Debbie Caterson in the subject line.

Recipe formatted for MailChimp
Chocolate Cupcakes
1 Pouch of Inspiration Bakery & Mixes Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2/3 Cup Butter, Butter Substitute or oil (use ½ cup vegetable oil or coconut oil)
4 Large Eggs (Vegan use Flaxseed meal for 5 eggs. Follow directions)
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Cups Water, or milk of choice.
Cupcake filling
1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Fresh Raspberries You can also use strawberries, but they do not keep as well in the refrigerator.
You can use frozen Raspberries, but be sure to exclude the juice.
The vegan option is to use a readymade non-dairy substitute.
Dark Chocolate Drizzle Frosting
2/3 Cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder (Recipe from the back of the container)
1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup Milk of Your Choice (I use coconut milk)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Cupcakes
Follow directions on the pouch for mixing the chocolate cake batter. Coconut milk adds a good flavor to these cupcakes. Grease the cupcake molds with oil (do not use paper liners). Evenly fill each heart-shaped cupcake cavity about ¾ full, until batter is used up. If there is excess batter, evenly distribute into other molds or discard. You don’t want to overfill the cavities. Bake as directed on the pouch. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and place them on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing in half horizontally.

Cupcake Cream Filling
Cut the raspberries in half. This will make it easy to stir them into the whipped filling. You can use frozen berries, but the juice will turn the mixture pink, which is still great. Place heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk) into a large bowl. Whip on high until cream begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar and continue to beat until peaks form. Add vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated. Gently fold in raspberries by hand. Place the raspberry cream filling on the bottom half of each cupcake. Replace the top layer. Prepare the Chocolate Drizzle Frosting immediately after this step.

Chocolate Drizzle Frosting
Follow instructions on the back of the Special Dark Hershey’s Cocoa container. While the frosting is warm, spoon the warm mixture over the top of each cupcake. Place frosted cupcakes uncovered in your refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Remove them from the refrigerator and cover them with plastic wrap until served. They will keep refrigerated for several days.