Recipe: Upside-Down Chocolate Cupcakes with Walnut Topping and Chocolate Frosting

UPSIDE-DOWN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon water
36 to 48 walnut halves
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water
FOR THE FROSTING:
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Well grease 12 muffin pan cups.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
In small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup melted butter, brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp water. Simmer 1 minute. Place 3 or 4 walnut halves in each of the prepared muffin pan cups. Spoon cooked mixture over walnuts.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:
Sift flour, cocoa, soda, and salt together; set aside.

Cream 1/4 cup butter. Gradually add sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients alternately with the 1/2 cup water, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fill muffin pan cups 1/2 full with batter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until surface springs back when gently touched with fingertip. Remove from muffin pan. Let cool inverted on wire racks.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
In small saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate. Cook over very low flame, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp butter; keep warm. Spread on sides of cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes
Source: Whitman's Chocolate Cookbook