White Russian Cupcakes

These are delicious!  I got the recipe from a cook book in the library.  You could use your own recipe for the cake, or just go for the box mix.  One word of advice, put the cupcakes in the fridge for a little while before frosting them.  The frosting can get messy, you want everything to be as cool as it can be.

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package vanilla pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Kahlua
3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.  Set the pans aside.
2.  Place the cake mix, oil, milk, eggs, vodka, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.  Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes, scraping down the sides again if needed.
3.  Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full.
4.  Place the pans in the oven.  Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger; 17 to 20 minutes.
5.  Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes.  Brush the top of the cupcakes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Kahlua.
6.  Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcakes, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups, using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips.  Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.  Prepare the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling rather than while they are in the oven.

Kahlua Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Kahlua
2 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate shavings (I used mini chocolate chips)

1.  Place a clean mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer to chill for 1 minute.  Remove the bowl and beaters from the freezer.
2.  Pour the cream into the bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the cream has thickened, 1 1/2 minutes.
3.  Add the sugar and Kahlua.  Beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
4.  Place a heaping tablespoon of the whipped cream on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely.
5.  Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Keep refrigerated for one week.  Enjoy!