Carrot Garden "Dirt" Chocolate Cupcakes (No Cocoa Powder)

Servings: 14

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 6.35-oz Tony Chocolonely Dark Milk Chocolate Bar
• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 2 large Eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil, or melted butter
• 2 tbsp. Granulated Cane Sugar
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk, room temperature
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Hot Water

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
• 1/4 cup Melted Chocolate, about half of a Tony Chocolonely Dark Milk Chocolate Bar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp. Heavy Cream
• Pinch of Salt, about 1/8 teaspoon

For the "Carrots" & "Dirt":

• Tony Chocolonely Great Big Chocolate Eggs
• Curly Parsley
• (Optional) Chocolate Cookies, for the "dirt" crumbs

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1-2 muffin pans with cupcake liners (batter will make 14 cupcakes).
• In a small bowl, whisk the milk and lemon juice together to create a homemade buttermilk. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Using a double boiler, or large bowl over a small saucepan, melt the chocolate.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, olive oil, granulated cane sugar and brown sugar for 1 minute, or until creamy. Whisk in the milk mixture.
• Stir in the melted chocolate.
• Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Be Careful not to overmix.
• Divide the batter out between the cupcake liners, filling each only halfway.
• Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

For the Chocolate Buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth.
• Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar on low speed.
• Add in the melted (and cool to touch) chocolate, vanilla, heavy cream, and salt.
• Beat on medium high speed for 4-8 minutes, until fluffy.
• Add the frosting to a piping bag, then pipe a generous round dollop of the chocolate buttercream on each cooled cupcake.

For the "Carrots" & "Dirt":

• To make the "dirt" on the frosting, crush chocolate cookies in a small bag until fine crumbs. Add to a bowl, then dip the tops of each frosted cupcake into the bowl to evenly coat the frosting in "dirt."
• Add an orange easter egg, then place a small stem of parsley behind it. Enjoy!