Polar Express Night: Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with peppermint icing & Polar Express Hot Chocolate

The second in my three Christmas themed nights, this is isn't a dinner, it's a drink and dessert.

For the hot chocolate cupcakes:
2-1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 packet hot chocolate mixed with 3/4 cup warm milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 and line 20 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
In a bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Then add all the wet ingredients, beat on medium speed until well combined, divided batter amongst the 20 liners. Bake for 16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the peppermint icing:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
6 cups powder sugar
1-1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
Cream beat the butter until it's creamy. Add the sugar and extract. Then add enough milk to make desired consistency.

Polar Express Hot Chocolate:
This hot chocolate is really good! It is rich, a lot richer than those hot chocolate packets you can but, but it's so worth it. It also tastes just as good, if not better the next day (just make sure to refrigerate it).
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
8 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.
Combine everything in a crock pot, cook on low for 4 hours stirring occasionally, or until the chocolate is all melted.
*Now, my family likes different thickness/richness of their cocoa, so you can add more milk individually.

With hungry thoughts from the kitchen; 
Gabrielle W.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31