Kit Kat Cupcakes

These cupcakes came across my Pinterest feed recently, and as the Kit Kat is my second favorite Halloween candy – and there’s Halloween candy everywhere right now – I figured it was a sign from the universe. The cupcakes themselves are absolutely delicious – exactly what I wanted them to be. But the frosting? It’s only okay.

I’m honestly not even sure what it needs…other than maybe it would be better as a chocolate buttercream with Kit Kat dust mixed into it. Maybe I’ll try that next time – but it seems like there’s just something missing from this recipe. Granted, I’m a really tough judge of my own baking, and everyone else will probably love them. But I’m always afraid I’m one mediocre recipe away from losing all of my baking cred.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
•  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot coffee

For the frosting

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 16 snack-sized Kit Kats, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tines with paper liners; my recipe yielded 16 cupcakes.

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Reduce speed and mix in coffee, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times. Beat for another minute; batter will be very thin and watery.

Using a cooking scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tins; place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make frosting, place 12 Kit Kats in a food processor and pulse them into dust. Cut the remaining 4 bars in half and set aside for garnish. Beat butter in a mixer with the paddle attachment for 1 minute, then add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until all of the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat, then add Kit Kat dust and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. You may need to add an additional tablespoon to thin the frosting enough to pipe it.

To frost, place frosting in a large piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (I used the Wilton 4B) and pipe swirls onto cupcakes, then top with a half Kit Kat piece. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.