Double Chocolate Malted Milk Cupcakes with Cherry Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c whole milk
2/3 c malted milk powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder
2/3 c canola oil
2 large eggs
2/3 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c miniature chocolate chips

For Frosting:
4 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 c unsalted butter softened
1 TBSP vanilla extract
4 TBSP whipping cream
2/3 c tart cherry preserves
Malted milk balls or maraschino cherries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 regular 12 cup cupcake tins with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, malted milk powder, and espresso powder. Add the canola oil and eggs: whisk to blend. Ass the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake tins filling only halfway full. (they expand quite a bit!) Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes until they spring back when touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cupcakes bake, prepare the buttercream. Mix together the sugar and butter. Blend on medium low speed until well blended. Add int he vanilla, whipping cream and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the cherry preserves until well incorporated.

When the cupcakes have finished baking, cool for 2 minutes in the pan the transfer to wire cooling racks for 10 minutes more. Frost cupcakes either with a knife or piping bag. Garnish each with a malted milk ball or cherry.

My tips:
*I am a piped icing person. It's MUCH easier, less messy and looks neater.

*This doesn't have a whole LOT of malted milk flavoring so I ended up adding 1 cup of malted milk powder and just added about an extra TBSP of milk to make up the liquid part so they wouldn't get too thick.

*These cupcakes expand a LOT while baking. So a half of cupcake tin is MORE than enough!