I love-making brownies and I love-making cupcakes, so what better way to have them both together but to merge them together!  I had a special request for brownies instead of a cake for a co-worker, so I wanted the brownies to be more birthday like, and the end result was brownie cupcakes.  My co-worker was very happy with cupcake brownies, besides brownies in a cupcake form are much easter to share!   You can use any brownie recipe and have them plain, or topped with your favorite icing.

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium saucepan melt butter and unsweetened chocolate squares over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2.  Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating  well with a wooden spoon just until combined. Stir in vanilla.

3. In a small bowl stir together the flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. If desired, stir in walnuts.

4. Line cupcake pan with cupcake papers and fill 2/3 full.

5. Bake for 22-24 minutes (depending on your oven) checking often by inserting a toothpick in center. Cool in pan on a wire rack. If desired, frost with chocolate icing.  Place a half walnut in the center of icing on top.

Be careful to not bake cupcakes too long, you want them moist and baking them too long they will not be as moist.

Fudge Icing (also great for cakes)!

3/4 cup Cocoa
4 cups confectioner sugar
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla (real)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
pinch of salt

Mix Cocoa and sugar. Cream part of cocoa mixture with butter. Blend in vanilla and 1/2 of milk. Add remaining Cocoa and sugar mixture and blend well. Add remaining milk and beat to desired consistency. Additional milk may be added if desired.