Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Name: Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 box chocolate cake mix; 3 eggs; ½ cup butter (melted); 1¼ cup milk; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper; Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious chocolate cake with just a hint of cinnamon, topped with silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Jump to Recipe

frosted Mexican hot chocolate cupcake with the liner taken off

These fluffy Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes are made with chocolate cake mix but don’t follow the cake mix instructions. Made with milk and butter plus just the right amount of cinnamon and cayenne pepper; the cake batter gives these spicy chocolate cupcakes just the right kick. Add our cinnamon cream cheese frosting for the perfect pair.

Table of Contents

Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon frosting

This post may contain affiliate links to products. If you purchase products through those links we might receive a small profit.

A generous swirl of cinnamon cream cheese frosting makes these moist cupcakes out of this world yummy. The warming spices make them taste especially good during the colder months. However, they also make a great dessert for a Mexican themed party or dinner all year round.

WHAT ARE MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES?

Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes are moist and fluffy chocolate cupcakes with just a hint of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. This subtle addition of spice does not make the cupcakes taste spicy but gives them an extra aromatic flavor. They are then topped with creamy and delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CINNAMON CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE

Notable: Delicious chocolate cake with just a hint of cinnamon. This subtle spice is not spicy but just enough to give the chocolate cake a kick.

Main Ingredients: chocolate cake mix, eggs, butter, milk, cinnamon and cayenne pepper

Cooking Method: oven baked

Cooking Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling and frosting time)

Diets: vegetarian

Special Equipment Needed: cupcake pan, cupcake liners, electric mixer, cooling rack

hot chocolate cupcake with a bite taken out

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements and printable instructions, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these spicy chocolate cupcake ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

Pantry Ingredients: chocolate cake mix
Refrigerated/Frozen Ingredients: eggs, unsalted butter, milk
Spices: ground cinnamon, ground cayenne pepper
Frosting: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, heavy cream)

ingredients for Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love chocolate desserts then you’ll love our Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook cinnamon chocolate cupcakes in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos.

PREPARE: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

MAKE BATTER: First, combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl, then mix until just combined.

BAKE: Divide the batter into the cupcake pan, filling the liners about ⅔-¾ full. Then bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

baked chocolate cupcakes in a cupcake pan

MAKE FROSTING: Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese, then add the spices and 1 cup of sugar at a time. Finally, beat the heavy cream into the mixture.

whipped up cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Mexican spice cupcake with cinnamon frosting and a cinnamon stick

FINISH: Decorate the cooled cupcakes with a nice swirl of cinnamon frosting and a cinnamon stick (optional). Serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love the combination of cream cheese and cinnamon then you’ll love our Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Electric Mixer – This recipe requires an electric mixer in order to achieve the desired smoothness and creaminess of the frosting. We do not recommend hand whisking the frosting for this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE AHEAD

You can make these cupcakes up to 3 days ahead of time. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Additionally, you can also prepare the frosting 2-3 days in advance and store it in a separate container in the fridge.

Let the cupcakes and frosting come back to room temperature before serving. If the frosting isn’t as fluffy anymore, give it a quick whip with an electric mixer before frosting the cupcakes.

TIPS FOR THE BEST MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Follow these tips to make the best spicy chocolate cupcakes.

✔️ Use your favorite cake mix.

✔️ Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. In order to create nicely domed cupcakes, fill the liners about ⅔-¾ full.

✔️ Cool completely. Allow your cupcakes to cool completely before frosting or the butter in the frosting will melt and make it runny.

✔️ Top with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Using our homemade cinnamon frosting will make these cupcakes out of this world delicious.

HOW TO STORE

Refrigerate: Store any leftover cinnamon chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let them come back to room temperature before serving.

Freeze: Store unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight or let them sit on the counter for a couple of hours.

cinnamon chocolate cupcake with cinnamon frosting with a bite taken out

MORE MEXICAN INSPIRED RECIPES

Are you planning a Mexican themed dinner party? Homemade Guacamole, Loaded Beef Nachos or Fried Fish Tacos are some of our other favorite Mexican recipes.

MORE CHOCOLATE DESSERT RECIPES

If you love chocolate treats as much as we do, you have to try our Double Chocolate Molten Muffins, Chocolate Raspberry Muffins, or No Bake Chocolate Lasagna, for example.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes.

What is Mexican hot chocolate?

Generally, Mexican hot chocolate comes in disk shape and can usually be found in the Mexican food aisle of the supermarket. You can break off pieces and melt it in hot milk. The difference to regular hot chocolate is the added spices. Mexican hot chocolate is flavored with a hint of cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a slight spicy kick.

Does the cayenne pepper make these cupcakes taste spicy?

No, these cupcakes will not burn your mouth. By adding only a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the batter you create a slight hint of spiciness within the cupcakes, no overwhelming heat.

5 from 11 votes