Rocky Mountain Cupcakes

This was my last recipe of 2012!!!!  I started with cupcakes so I decided to end with one.  This recipe is from the book: "1001 Cupcakes, Cookies and other tempting treats".  The recipe below makes 10 cupcakes.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
heaping 1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Topping:
1 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp cream or milk
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
3oz mini marshmallows
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 oz milk chocolate, or semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 12-hole muffin pan with 10 paper liners.
2.  Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the eggs.  Sift the flour and the cocoa together and fold into the mixture.  Spoon the batter into the paper liners.
3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and springy to touch.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4.  To make the buttercream place the butter and cream in a bowl and beat together.  Gradually sift in the sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth.  To decorate, pipe the buttercream on top of each cake to form a peak in the center. Mix the marshmallows and walnuts together and divide among the cakes, then press down lightly.  Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and heat until melted.  Drizzle over the tops of the cakes and let set.

Terri's Rating: 7/10
Jason's Rating: 8/10
Beth's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:
550 calories
34g fat (19g saturated)
140mg cholesterol
250mg sodium
58g carbohydrates
3g fiber
42g sugar
6g protein