Macadamia Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

Macadamia cupcakes topped with a silky white chocolate frosting. The perfect sweet treat for your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Before I got married, I wasn’t a “Valentine’s Day,” kind of guy. I usually stuck with the standard tropes.

Red roses, boxes of candy, and a piece of jewelry were the staples of my repertoire. However, after a few years of being with Kim, that wore out pretty quick.

We had to find another way to show how much we adore each other. I suggested we start making something each other like red velvet cupcakes, cut out sugar cookies, or cinnamon French toast and scrambled eggs for a nice breakfast.

Given the fact I am comfortable in the kitchen, I always prepared a meal for Kim. She seemed to love the idea of making food as a show of affection.

This year, Kim searched around and found an amazing frosting recipe on Food and Wine.

Kim decided to pair that with macadamia cupcakes. She’s always been good at decorating cakes and pastries.

The macadamia cupcakes with white chocolate frosting Kim made were phenomenal! The cake texture was spot-on, and the frosting tasted like smooth and creamy white chocolate.

Needless to say, these cupcakes did not last long. Kim will have to make more for me.

These macadamia cupcakes with white chocolate frosting were a Valentine’s Day gift I loved and cannot wait for her to make it again.

How to Make Macadamia Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting:

Macadamia Cupcakes:

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. While the oven heats, line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Afterward, in a large bowl or stand mixer, combine cake mix, water, eggs, pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, and macadamia extract.

After the batter is well mixed, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill each liner about half the way full.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Keep in mind that every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking the cupcakes for doneness around 14 minutes, although it may take up to 20.

White Chocolate Frosting:

First, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat stirring constantly. Melting the chocolate can also be done in the microwave on half power stirring every 15 seconds.

After the chocolate melts, remove it from the heat. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Then add the chocolate and mix an additional minute. Next, pour in the powdered sugar and vanilla.

Beat the mixture on low speed until the everything is incorporated, then switch to medium speed for another minute to ensure there are no lumps.

Lastly, use a spoon, knife, or piping bag to frost the cupcakes. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Macadamia Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

5 from 24 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes

Servings: 24 Cupcakes

Equipment

• Nordic Ware 12 Cup Muffin Pan
• Medium Saucepan
• KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Macadamia Cupcakes

• 1 16.25 Ounce Box White Cake Mix
• 1 Cup Water
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 3.4 Ounce Box Instant Vanilla Pudding
• ¾ Cup Sour Cream
• ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Teaspoons Macadamia Extract

White Chocolate Frosting

• 1 Cup Unsalted Butter softened
• 12 Ounces White Chocolate melted and slightly cooled
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine cake mix, water, eggs, pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla, and macadamia extract.
• Use a scoop or measuring cup to pour 1/4-cup of batter into each liner.
• Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove them from the oven, place on a cooling to cool for at least 30-minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

• Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat stirring constantly. This is also be done in the microwave on half power stirring every 15 seconds. After the chocolate melts, remove it from heat, and let it cool slightly.
• Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the chocolate, and mix for an and additional minute.
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed until the everything is incorporated then switch to medium speed for about a minute to ensure there are no lumps.
• Use a spoon, knife, or piping bag to frost the cupcakes.
• Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 cupcake with frosting. Actual calories will vary.

*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 94mg | Sugar: 21g