Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Dark chocolate meets white chocolate. 

These cupcakes are rich + fudgy and covered in amazingly delicious white chocolate cream cheese frosting. If you're an extreme chocolate lover, these are for you! 

The batter is super easy since you can just use a boxed brownie mix. I bought some coconut oil a few weeks ago and decided to give it a whirl in these brownies. 

The verdict: decadent and chocolatey with just the slightest hint of coconut. I think these brownies actually smell more like coconut than they taste like it. I love the idea of using it instead of butter or vegetable oil, partially because I’m insanely crazy about coconut! Apparently you can use coconut oil for everything: conditioner, deodorant, lotion, diaper cream...good to know! 

If you're a fan of coconut oil head over to The Kitchn and check out these awesome recipes! 

Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 box Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate brownie mix
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup hot fudge sauce

{for the frosting}
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz good quality white chocolate, melted (I used Ghirardelli)
1 tsp clear vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with about 12 paper liners and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine one box brownie mix, the egg, coconut oil, water, and hot fudge sauce until blended. Portion evenly among muffin cups; about 2/3 full. 
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.

{for the frosting}

• In the bowl of a stand up mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. 
• Slowly add in powdered sugar. 
• In a small bowl over simmering water, melt the white chocolate. Stir until smooth. 
• Add in the cooled white chocolate and vanilla extract. Continue beating until combined and smooth.